


Once and Forever Queen

by jbuffyangel



Series: Once and Forever Queen [1]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: F/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-03
Updated: 2015-10-07
Packaged: 2018-04-24 13:00:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 70,818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4920589
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jbuffyangel/pseuds/jbuffyangel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Six months into their blissful life together, Oliver proposes. The next day, Felicity is kidnapped. Oliver’s desperate search leads all the way to Russia where he realizes there’s only one man who can help him find Felicity…John Diggle. Meanwhile, Felicity faces off with a formidable foe, both known and unknown to her. As the lives of all those she loves are endangered, Felicity begins to question her future with Oliver.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> BOLD: Contest Winners. I held polls on my blog that allowed readers to choose certain aspects in the story - from songs to wedding selections. Contest winners are revealed in their first appearance in the story. All contest winners will be published in the final chapter.
> 
> ***Songs I listened to while writing the scene.
> 
> The story is finished. I am posting chapters as my editor finishes edits. 12 Chapters total. 175 pages.

_*****I Bet My Life by Imagine Dragons** _

Despite the low tide, the ocean waves rolled heavily into the shore, creating a misty spray that cooled Oliver as he ran through it. The mist coated his face and he felt a slight stinging in his eyes as it intermingled with the beads of sweat dripping down his forehead. He quickly wiped the moisture away and focused his breathing into a slow and steady pace. The run began in the predawn hours, but nearly an hour into it, Oliver could see the early signs of sunlight peeking over the ridge of the horizon. His legs were burning, but he could still feel the swell of nervous energy pumping through his blood. The same nervous energy made sleep impossible. When sleep alluded him, Oliver typically found solace in Felicity. Unfortunately, Felicity wouldn’t be able to help with this particular problem.

Oliver wanted to propose. He just had no idea how.

As the white shutters of the beach home he shared with Felicity came into view, Oliver instinctively quickened his pace, the familiar desire to be close to her overriding any sense of fatigue. Using the remaining surge of energy to propel him, Oliver dug his feet into the deep, cool sand, closing the distance quickly. The rising sun was a worthy opponent, but it had yet to crest by the time Oliver arrived at the edge his deck. The rush of the waves and blood filled his ears, but as he regained control of his breathing the noise settled into a dull roar. The run served its purpose. The nerves were gone. His mind was clear. He could finally think.

For a moment, Oliver stared at the house. The knowledge Felicity was sleeping peacefully inside filling him with a calm. The white trim drew a clear outline around the turquoise siding, popping brightly against it. The stairs led up to a small porch wrapping around the front of the house. Some mornings,  Oliver would finish his run and find Felicity sitting out on the porch, reading a book and drinking coffee. She would peek out from her book, smile down at him and mouth, “I love you.” Those were the best mornings. He could see their whole lives in that smile.

After they left Starling City, they spent the first several weeks driving across country from Gotham to Metropolis, languishing in hotels and drinking in the sites, before they ramped up to international travel. By this point, Felicity had decided to close her eyes and point to a place on the map. Wherever her finger landed was where they went. First it was Mexico and then Italy. The only time Oliver objected was Hawaii. No islands. Felicity, however, insisted rules were rules.

“Nobody says no to Hawaii, Oliver,” she said. “Besides, it might be good for you to experience an island without land mines.”

After two weeks of beach and sun, Felicity was finally satisfied Oliver knew how to vacation properly. When Felicity’s finger landed on Coast City, however, Oliver couldn’t help but feel a larger design in the randomness of the choice. Three weeks passed and neither of them pulled out the map. They’d taken to walks on the beach after dinner, and when Felicity saw the house she let out a little gasp. To be fair, it was more like a cottage, but Oliver knew their hotel hopping days were over. He called the landlord the next day, and they moved in by the end of the week.

Oliver, however, wanted to solidify their life together in a more permanent way. Oliver turned to face the ocean, digging his feet into the sand, contemplating his options. He wanted it to be simple, no skywriters or football stadiums, but special. Every time he looked at her Oliver was afraid he’d just blurt it out. As the waves rushed up on shore, swarming his feet, pulling sand away until his feet were nearly bare again, Oliver gazed at the never-ending horizon of the sea. Suddenly, he knew exactly where to propose and why. It came to him like truth.

_***The Light by Sleeping At Last_

Using the same stealth abilities that made The Arrow a ghost, Oliver maneuvered his way through the house silently. He didn’t want to wake her. Felicity worked for cyber security firm based in Coast City. She was paid to hack through companies firewalls and pinpoint their weaknesses. Sometimes, like last night, she was called in late to stop specific cyber attacks,. She didn’t come home until almost two in the morning.

Oliver stopped short at the bedroom door. Felicity slumbered peacefully, curled on her side, the white sheet slipping off her shoulder just enough to reveal a peek of bare skin. The sunrise splintered through the drapes sending slices of light dazzling across the bed. Flecks of light sloped off her bare skin and twisted inside her tangled blonde curls. In the alternating waves of shadow and light, she glimmered like a star in the night sky. She was so beautiful it almost hurt to breathe.

Oliver leaned against the doorframe and watched as her body rose and fell in deep, even breaths. Felicity shivered. As if she could sense Oliver was no longer next to her, keeping her warm. Oliver moved from the doorframe and eased himself to Felicity’s side of the bed. He knelt down and pulled the white sheet high above her bare shoulders. As the warmth settled around her, Felicity let out a little sigh. Still half asleep, Felicity instinctively reached for Oliver, grasping his t-shirt and pulling him down for a soft kiss.

“Hey,” she whispered dreamily.

“Hey,” Oliver answered softly.

“You taste like the ocean,” Felicity said as she stifled a little yawn. Oliver smiled and kissed her forehead gently.

“Go back to sleep.”

Already asleep, Felicity failed to respond.

_***Latch by Natalie Taylor_

After he showered, Oliver stepped back into the bedroom to dress. As he dug through his dresser for a t-shirt, a pillow suddenly whacked him on the back of his head. He froze, but then turned slowly. Felicity, still snuggled in bed, grinned at him mischievously.

“What was that for?” Oliver demanded in mock annoyance.

“You skipped sit-ups,” Felicity shot back.

“What?” Oliver asked, legitimately confused.

Felicity sat up a little in bed and said, “You tasted like the ocean, which means you went for a run. Sit-ups are next. Except you didn’t do sit-ups. You just took a shower.”

“So… no sit-ups means I get whacked in the head?”

“You have your way of waking up and I have mine,” Felicity teased lightly. She tipped her head to the side and let her eyes scan down Oliver’s dripping wet body, a towel wrapped tightly around his waist. “Although, this might make up for it.”

Oliver turned his body halfway as if to finish dressing, but suddenly he whipped around and dove into the bed, grabbing Felicity by the waist. As Oliver mercilessly tickled her, shrieks of laughter filled the room. They ended almost as soon as they began because Oliver rolled on top and silenced Felicity with a deep kiss.

“You could avoid pillows all together if you just installed a salmon ladder like I asked,” Felicity said with an exasperated sigh as Oliver reluctantly pulled away from the kiss.

“Where? We live in a refrigerator box,” Oliver answered as he rolled off Felicity.

Felicity sat up in bed a little more and pointed to the corner of the bedroom, “There. I’ve told you there twenty times.”

Oliver shook his head and flopped back on his side of the bed, “Sit-ups and salmon ladders. That’s what it takes to make you happy, huh?”

“Yup, livin’ the dream,” Felicity said coyly as she curled into Oliver and rested her head on his chest. For a moment, they both just lay in silence, listening to the ocean waves.

“You were up early,” Felicity noted softly.

Oliver nodded a little and said, “I couldn’t sleep.”

Felicity propped herself up on an elbow so she could look Oliver in the eye. Her brow furrowed in concern as she asked, “Did you have a nightmare?”

Oliver kissed her softly to ease her worry, “No.”

It was true. Ever since he left Starling City with Felicity his nightmares became less frequent. In the beginning, she would wake with him and listen quietly as he described his hellish dreams. Rarely did she say anything, opting to make love when the dreams were particularly bad. Most of the time, she simply rested her head on his chest, running her fingers lightly over his arm, the sound of her breathing and the warmth of her skin lulling him back into a peaceful slumber. Lately, the nightmares were gone.

“Are you worried about the inspection?”

Oliver’s eyes widened in surprise and Felicity immediately noticed. She gave him a playful smack as she exclaimed, “You forgot, didn’t you?”

Oliver groaned and covered his eyes with his hands, nodding silently. Felicity gave him a little a shove, “Better get dressed buddy.”

It had taken Oliver a month to tell Felicity he had lived in Coast City… before. During a quiet stroll through the city they came upon a bar, The Bucket. The name made Felicity laugh out loud. She immediately started towards the door, but Oliver remained frozen on the street. When she returned to him and reached for his hand, the story came tumbling out.

He sat her down on a bench nearby. He told her about Akio and General Shrieve. How he was too ashamed to go home. How he needed be alone. How he took a freighter out of Hong Kong and landed in Coast City. How he lived in near anonymity for months, but to pay rent he worked at a bar…

That’s as far as he went. He couldn’t tell her the rest. He couldn’t tell her what came after Coast City.

The owner, Jake, recognized Oliver immediately. The three of them talked long past close. Jake regaled Felicity with tales of Coast City and its more colorful citizens until her stomach ached from laughter, while ribbing Oliver constantly about his taciturn demeanor during his brief employment.

“I didn’t know the kid had teeth until now,” Jake teased as Oliver broke into another smile. Felicity tilted her head to the side and looked at adoringly at him. Jake observed Felicity carefully and softly said, “But it seems he has more reason to smile these days.”

Felicity blushed, and Oliver reached for her hand, “Jake always called it like he saw it.”

“Damn straight,” Jake slapped his hand down on the bar in agreement.

“Jake, I wanted to thank you. After I returned to Starling, I was all over the news, but you never said anything about my time here…” Oliver started hesitantly, but Jake waved him off.

“Your business was your business boy and none of mine. I’ll tell ya, he was practically a ghost around here. Between that and the hair, I don’t think anyone but me recognized him.”

“The hair?” Felicity asked with raised eyebrows, her voice raising with her curiosity.

Jake grinned devilishly at Oliver and said, “Let’s just say he was sportin’ a different look, honey. He wasn’t always so pretty.”

“Jake’s just jealous because I had hair,” Oliver teased back while taking a sip of his beer. Rubbing his bald head, Jake shook his head in mock disbelief.

“Oliver Queen makes a joke. Well now I have seen everything. I can finally retire.” Jake rose from the chair, slowly, wincing in pain. Oliver stood halfway up from his chair, offering Jake a hand, which he took gratefully. He looked at Felicity and smiled a little, “Arthritis. Don’t ever get old, honey. It’s hell on the bones.”

“You should think about slowing down Jake,” Oliver said softly.

“People are still thirsty, Oliver. That’ll never change,” Jake said as he moved behind the bar.

“No family to help you?” Felicity asked.

Jake shook his head, “No kids to speak of. There’s my nephew, but I’d rather light the place on fire than hand it over to that idiot. And my Jeanne… she passed years ago.”

“I’m sorry,” Felicity said sympathetically.

“I spent 40 years married to a woman too good for me. I was a lucky son of a bitch. Ain’t nothin’ to be sorry for, honey,” Jake answered softly.

As they made their way out, Felicity and Jake shook hands. Felicity gave Jake a small peck on the cheek, and the man instantly blushed. She gave Oliver a wink as she stepped outside the bar to give Jake and Oliver a moment. The two men stared after her as she walked away.

“Boy, if I were a few years younger, you’d have some competition on your hands.” Jake said as he began to wipe down the bar.

Oliver raised his eyebrows, “A few years?”

“I think I liked you better when you didn’t say anything,” Jake shot back. Oliver chuckled and pulled out his wallet, but Jake waved it away.

“Beers are on the house.”

Oliver knew better than to argue with the man’s generosity, so he simply said thank you and offered Jake his hand. Jake put down the rag and took Oliver’s hand firmly in his.

“Good to see you doing well Oliver,” Jake said.

“Thank you Jake… for everything.”

Jake gave a resolute nod and dropped Oliver’s hand, refocusing his attention on the bar. As Oliver made his way to the door, however, Jake called after him.

“Say Oliver… about your girl…”

“Yeah?”

“She’s too good for you,” Jake said firmly, giving Oliver a knowing look. Oliver glanced towards Felicity waiting patiently under the flickering golden hue of The Bucket’s lights.

“Yeah. I know,” Oliver answered.

“Good. You’re not a total moron,” Jake said as he moved to close out the cash register while waving Oliver off. “Now go away. This isn’t a damn bed and breakfast.”

Oliver shook his head and smiled at Jake’s gruffness. Jake, the bar, absolutely everything was the same. He found it oddly comforting.

He and Felicity walked home with their arms wrapped around each other in silence. Just as they were about to enter the house, Felicity turned to Oliver and said lightly, “So… a bar.”

Oliver furrowed his brow in confusion, but Felicity simply rested her hand on his chest before she gave him a gentle kiss. She never said another word about it.

It took another week for Oliver to come to the decision on his own. Jake initially rejected the offer, his pride getting in the way of his good business sense. Oliver was firm and when Jake finally accepted Oliver’s offer to partner with him, there were tears in the man’s eyes.

“So who’s idea was it to buy the bar?” Jake asked.

“What do you mean? It was mine,” Oliver answered incredulously.  Jake raised his eyebrows and gave Oliver a knowing look. Oliver sighed and said, “Hers.”

As he signed the papers Jake chuckled and said, “You’re a lucky son of a bitch, Oliver.”

The two men shook hands and Oliver answered, “I’m well aware, Jake.”

The bar was in bad need of some repairs and the construction was almost done, hence the inspection. The truth was, Oliver truly loved it. Without The Arrow, Oliver could focus on it in a way he was never able to with Verdant. The Bucket was essentially Coast City’s watering well. Nearly, everyone from the mayor to local college kids frequented there. It was an easy way to keep his ear to the ground.

Oliver quickly rolled out of bed and made his way to the bathroom to finish getting ready. He’d been so preoccupied with proposing he completely forgot about the inspection.

“I’ll make coffee,” Felicity called after him.

Oliver popped his head out from the bathroom and said hesitantly, “Don’t do that.”

“Today is my day Oliver. I feel it,” Felicity answered confidently as she rolled out of bed. Oliver sighed slightly exasperated, but he didn’t have time to argue with her. Felicity felt a sudden chill as the warmth of the covers slipped away, and she quickly reached for one of Oliver’s shirts draped over the chair. She breathed in his scent of fresh air and soap before she slipped it on.

Felicity trotted to the kitchen, the tile cold underneath her bare feet. She stared at the coffee maker and crossed her arms defiantly.

“Okay, you caffeinated dictator. Today is the day I conquer you.”

She poured the water and filled the filter with coffee grounds before flipping it on. For a moment, the light blinked red and the coffee maker spurted to life. But almost immediately the light switched off.  

Felicity tapped her foot angrily, “Nope. Not this morning. This morning you make coffee when I say so.” She flipped the switch back to on, but the light failed to light up. The coffee maker remained dormant.

“I have slept a total of four hours. Do not screw with me!” Felicity said through gritted teeth as she flipped the on switch back and forth. Still nothing. “Damn it! Oliver!”

“I told you not to!” Oliver called back from the bedroom.

“I ignored you!”

Oliver came out of the bedroom, dressed in jeans and a blue, button-down shirt. He stopped short when he saw Felicity. Her hair was piled high into a messy bun of tangled curls and she was wearing his white dress shirt - and only his white dress shirt. It stopped at mid thigh, highlighting her perfectly tanned and toned legs. She’d left several top buttons undone, flirting dangerously close to exposing a lot more skin. He had planned on wearing it today, but he couldn’t find it when he came out of the bathroom.

“Is that my shirt?”

Felicity looked down sheepishly and said, “Yeah. I was cold. Were you going to wear this?”

Oliver nodded silently and made his way into the kitchen. Felicity gave him an apologetic look and said, “Well, that explains why it was on the chair. I’m sorry. I’ll go-”

She stopped short when Oliver’s arms circled around her. “Believe me it looks better on you,” Oliver whispered as he began to playfully nibble the back of her neck. Felicity closed her eyes momentarily, but her need for caffeine was significantly overwhelming other desires.

“Oliver, focus,” Felicity said impatiently.

Oliver slid his hand up her leg and whispered back, “I am.”

“Not on me,” she whispered back and elbowed him playfully in the side. She tapped the coffee maker. Oliver sighed exasperated and rested his head on her shoulder.

“We need to check you into a program for this caffeine addiction,” Oliver murmured into her shoulder. Felicity reached her arm behind her snaking her fingers through Oliver’s hair before patting him on the head.

“Problem for another day, babe,” Felicity answered flippantly. Oliver released her so he could get a better look at the coffee maker.

“Did you flip it back and forth?” He murmured.

“Yes, of course I did,” Felicity answered irritated. “I shouldn’t have to do that in the first place. It’s a coffee maker. You press on. Then it makes coffee. Those are the parameters of the relationship, but this thing holds the coffee hostage every morning to torture me.”

“To torture you?” Oliver answered biting his lips to stifle a laugh.

“Yes! To torture me. Like some bizarre power -” Felicity stopped short and fell silent as Oliver switched the coffee maker from on, to off, then to on again. Immediately, it spurted to life.

“There ya go. Fixed,” Oliver said satisfied as he kissed Felicity on the forehead.

She crossed her arms irritated and cried out, “I did that!”

Oliver shrugged and wrapped his arms around Felicity, “Guess it likes me better.”

Felicity shook her head in frustration, “I’m buying a new coffee maker. This thing is a piece of junk.”

“No!” Oliver exclaimed adamantly. He released Felicity and began pulling out supplies for breakfast from the cupboards.

Felicity rolled her eyes, “Oliver, I graduated from MIT. I have a masters in cyber security and computer sciences. When I say something is a piece of junk, it’s really a piece of junk. I’ve rewired it four times. It only turns on for you. There is no scientific explanation. It’s the devil’s coffee maker.”

“You’re Jewish,” Oliver responded, his brow creasing from his confusion as he set a frying pan down on the stove.

“I know! I’m calling my spiritual beliefs into question over a cup of coffee. I’m buying a new one,” Felicity said resolutely.

Oliver began mixing batter in a bowl and just silently shook his head no.

“What is it with you and this thing?” Felicity exclaimed in frustration.

Oliver stopped stirring and considered Felicity’s question for a moment. He turned from the stove to face her, shrugging nonchalantly as he said, “I don’t know. I guess…do you remember when we bought it?”

Felicity shook her head no. Oliver smiled at her a little and offered, “It was the day we moved into the beach house. We’d been unpacking all day, but you couldn’t find your coffee maker.”

Felicity’s eyes brightened as she remembered, “Oh yeah! Come to think of it, I never did find it,” she paused as then laughed as the memory came into focus. “It was like 2 in the morning and everything was closed. There wasn’t any food in the house, and we were starving.”

“So we drove to that 24-hour convenience store,” Oliver added.

“And low and behold, right next to the chips and dip, was a coffee maker. It was only one they had. It had been marked down twenty times,” Felicity said as she rolled her eyes.

“It cost $3, but I avoided the non-caffeinated you.”

Felicity nodded in resolute agreement, “It is wise to avoid that woman at all costs.”

“Agreed.”

Oliver smiled, but then fell silent. He took down two coffee cups and began to pour. Felicity tilted her head in confusion and asked quizzically, “I still don’t understand why you want to keep it. If anything that story supports my piece of junk argument.”

Oliver handed Felicity her cup of coffee and shrugged, “I guess I want to keep it because… it’s the first thing we bought together.”

Felicity’s eyes widened in surprise at Oliver’s sweet declaration. She bit her lip as a smile spread across her lips. She set her coffee cup down and wrapped her arms around Oliver’s neck, giving him a long slow kiss. As she pulled away, Felicity nuzzled her nose against his and said softly, “I like this side of you.”

“What side?”

“Your romantic side.”

“Well, don’t let it get out. It’ll ruin my street cred,” Oliver murmured as he leaned in for another kiss.

“I can keep a secret,” Felicity whispered just as Oliver’s lips met hers. Their kiss grew in intensity, but Felicity drew back reluctantly again.

“As much as I’d like to continue this, you are going to be late for the inspection,” Felicity said sadly as she pointed to the clock behind Oliver. Oliver looked and immediately saw she was right. He released Felicity and turned his attention back to the stove.

“You just want to make sure there’s time for pancakes.”

Felicity slid her arms around Oliver’s chest, leaned against his back for a tight hug and said, “Busted.”

Oliver chuckled at her admission, and Felicity released him. She sat down at the kitchen table and glanced at her tote. Felicity opened it up and pulled out a manila envelope stamped with the Palmer Technologies emblem. Hesitantly, Felicity glanced at Oliver who was busy fixing the pancakes.

“Oliver?”

“Hmm?” Oliver murmured without looking up from the stove.

Felicity stared at the envelope for a moment longer and then shook her head. “Never mind,” she said as she slipped the envelope back into her work bag. Instead, she opened her laptop to The Central City Picture News and read Iris’ article while Oliver made breakfast.

After breakfast, Felicity went back to reading her laptop, this time moving to The Starling City News. Oliver stopped by the table on his way out and gave Felicity a quick kiss goodbye.

“Good luck,” she said smiling sweetly at him.

“What’s your plan for today?” Oliver asked.

Felicity sighed, “I need to develop a router scan to protect Rathaway Industries from anymore DDoS attacks, so I’ll probably be late again. Okay?”

Oliver nodded absentmindedly and started to walk towards the door, but then he suddenly realized what she said, “No… not okay.”

Felicity looked up from the computer in surprise, “How come?”

Oliver faltered. He absolutely no idea what to say. Certainly not the truth. The truth would mean blurting out the proposal. He’d avoided it for this long, no sense blowing it at the last minute.

“Because…” Oliver trailed off, searching for an excuse.

Felicity shrugged and said, “I assumed you were working late at the bar.”

Oliver bit his lip and shook his head, “Nope.”

Felicity stood up from the table to bring the dishes into the kitchen. “Okay. I can be home by dinner. The router scan shouldn’t take too long once I prepare the proposal -”

“What?” Oliver interrupted, suddenly alarmed. “What did you say?”

“I said the router scan won’t take too long once I prepare the proposal,” Felicity repeated exasperated.

“Oh. Okay.” Oliver exhaled with relief.

“What’s with you today?” Felicity asked, peering at him closely.

“What do you mean?” Oliver responded, feigning innocence.

“You couldn’t sleep. You forgot the about the inspection and now you’re all… jumpy.”

Oliver gave Felicity his most charming Queen smile and replied, “I’m fine.”

Felicity tilted her head, not believing a word he said. Oliver gave a little wave as he backed out the door. As it shut behind him, he closed his eyes and exhaled loudly relief. That was a close call.

_***Work Song by Hozier_

He walked down a few steps, but he paused and reconsidered. With a resolute nod, Oliver went back into the house.

Felicity was rinsing dishes in the sink when she heard Oliver come in. She looked up at him in confusion as he strode confidently into the kitchen.

“Did you forget something?” she asked.

“Yeah,” Oliver said as he cupped her face with his hands, kissing her softly but firmly.

Instinctively, Felicity’s hands went to his forearms and she held on tightly as the kiss grew in intensity. Sensing her need for air, Oliver pulled back from a breathless Felicity. They pressed their foreheads together, breathing each other in. He slid his hands down the length of Felicity’s side, and she closed her eyes as Oliver’s hands lingered at her hips.

“Won’t you be late? Felicity whispered.

"I thought about it,” Oliver mused as he drifted a finger from her exposed bare skin to the next button. He paused for a moment and stared into Felicity’s eyes, a small smile playing on his lips as he said, “but I decided to risk it.”

As he finished unbuttoning the next button, he pulled Felicity in for a long, deep kiss. Felicity’s hands began unbuttoning Oliver’s shirt quickly, and as it fell from his shoulders, he pulled off the white t-shirt underneath. In the flurry of action, they stumbled backward, but Oliver steadied Felicity by placing his hand at the small of her back. Felicity wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling the heat of his skin through the sheerness of the white shirt. In one fluid motion, Oliver picked Felicity up, holding firmly onto her thighs and placed her gently on the kitchen counter. He trailed his tongue down the length of her neck as he freed the final button, the shirt falling open exposing all of her skin for Oliver to explore. As his lips and hands moved expertly down her body, Felicity felt her excitement growing. Oliver moved his hand slowly up her legs, as he’d done earlier, only now Felicity didn’t stop him.

When his hand slipped between them, Felicity felt a jolt through her body like lightening. Oliver alternated the pressure and motions into a steady rhythm. The world became wild and still all at once. Felicity felt nothing but pressure of his hand, the softness of his lips and the pull of his muscles as he held her steady. When it became too much to bear she reached for him, unbuckling his belt. It created a frenzy between them. Felicity held tightly to Oliver with one arm and the counter with the other, bracing herself against the impact when their bodies finally connected. Almost immediately, Felicity felt her hand slip, followed by loud crash and the sound of shattering glass.

Instinctively, Felicity grabbed tightly to Oliver’s neck with her suddenly free arm, and he confidently steadied her. They paused and looked to the ground.  It wasn’t the counter she had been bracing herself against, but the coffee maker. Sadly, it was no match against the hard ceramic tile, and it lay shattered in pieces.

Felicity gasped in horror, “Oh no!”

She felt Oliver’s lips on her neck again. He’d barely given it a second glance.

“Oliver… Oli… Oliver!” Felicity pulled back a little to get his attention.

“What?” Oliver asked out of breath.

“I broke the coffee maker. Our coffee maker,” Felicity said sadly. The sorrow in her voice was evident now that she understood the sentimentality connected to the machine.

Barely breaking his stride, Oliver shrugged and said, “Yeah… I don’t care.”

Felicity laughed as she said, “How can you not care? You just told me…,” but she fell silent as Oliver molded his mouth against hers, the laughter dying on her lips. When he broke away, Oliver gripped Felicity’s legs tightly and pulled her closer. As he pushed himself in deeper, Felicity’s head snapped back as a moan escaped her lips.

“We’ll buy a new one,” Oliver murmured against her neck, but she barely heard him. She was lost in the steel mold of his arms, the motion of his body and the waves of ecstasy upon her. 

As it coursed through her, Oliver quickened his pace until they were in unison. She felt almost weightless as he held her. The cold, hard counter was her tether as she floated. Then, as the finale jolt passed through her, Oliver came crashing down with her. As she balanced precariously on the counter, Oliver rested his head against her shoulder. They breathlessly exhaled and laughed with relief, grateful for the stolen moment. It was time well spent.

_***Mind Heist by Zack Hemsey_

Amanda Waller strode purposefully through the bustling streets of Starling City. Her head-to-toe black pant suit and darkened shades matched her fierce demeanor as she expertly weaved her way through the crowd. To the untrained eye, Amanda Waller was a woman without fear. The line between perception and reality, however, was so painfully thin, or so she told her agents. As long as the world believed she was fearless, Amanda could believe it herself. Well… almost.

She was on her way to Starling National Bank when she felt the shadow. She turned the corner and down an empty alley. She pressed up against the wall and waited as the crowd milled by. She resisted the urge to look behind her. The alley was her first opportunity to look at the crowd, but nobody stood out. Maybe she was imagining things. Amanda shook her head firmly. No, she knew when she had a tail. Amanda pulled out her phone and replaced the SIM card with an extra she kept in her purse. She tossed the old SIM card on the ground and smashed it with the heel of her foot. She glanced at her watch and counted to five. Then she began to move again, down another alley and up a side street, which spilled directly into another busy Starling street. She joined the crowd and immediately felt certain she’d lost the shadow. Although, this did little to calm her nerves.

Amanda reached her car parked on the street. She pulled out her phone and dialed, but there was no answer on the other line, only the voicemail greeting.

“Agent Michaels,” Amanda said firmly, but then she paused and softened her voice. “Lyla…it’s Amanda. I need you to contact me immediately. I can’t get into specifics over the phone, but I need your help. I’m in Starling City. I’d like to meet.” The fear crept back into her voice as she said, “I think… I may have stumbled onto something.”

Amanda slipped her phone back into her purse. Before she got into the car she did a 360-degree turn, surveying everything around her. Satisfied, she got in the car and turned the ignition. She heard a stall in the engine before it turned over. Amanda’s stomach dropped in dread. It was a fraction of a second, but she knew. After all, they trained her well. All those years. All her knowledge. It led to this. One moment of certainty. A cold, hard, inescapable truth.

_It was too late._

BOOM!

The car exploded in a fiery ball of smoke and ash. Passersby, knocked to the ground, tried to shield themselves from the falling debris. The force from the blast blew out the windows in the local shops and restaurants. The Starling City Police Department was flooded with calls, but there was no need. There was no one to save.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BOLD: Contest Winners. I held polls on my blog that allowed readers to choose certain aspects in the story - from songs to wedding selections. Contest winners are revealed in their first appearance in the story. All contest winners will be published in the final chapter.
> 
> ***Songs I listened to while writing the scene.
> 
> The story is finished. I am posting chapters as my editor finishes edits. 12 Chapters total. 175 pages.

_***Someone Like You by Adele_

The waitress led Diggle to the outdoor tables that lined the boulevard. Protected under the shade of the yellow umbrella, sipping her drink was Carly, waiting for him patiently. The minute she saw Diggle, her face broke into a huge smile. Diggle bent to give her a kiss on the cheek before settling into his chair. It had taken time, but the awkwardness of their romantic relationship had given way to the ease of their brother-in-law and sister-in-law foundation.

“I’m sorry I’m late, Carly,” Diggle offered, but Carly waved him off.

“It’s fine. I just arrived a few minutes ago.”

“Can I get you something, sir?” the waitress asked.

“Just a water please,” Diggle answered and the waitress left immediately. “I’m surprised you didn’t want to meet at Big Belly Burger.”

“Ugh, if I never see that place again it’ll be too soon. My clothes still smell like burgers,” Carly groaned and Diggle chuckled.

“How’s A.J?”

“Good! He’s at baseball camp today,” Carly answered as she took a sip of her drink.

“We still on for Saturday? I was thinking I could take him to a baseball game,” Diggle asked. The waitress came back with his water and looked at them expectantly. “Can we have another minute? Thanks.”

Carly nodded and said, “Yes. Absolutely, he’d love that, and now I need to see a picture of that beautiful baby girl.”

Diggle smiled, took out his phone and handed it to Carly. She started flipping through the photos and gasped, “She’s growing so fast!”

“I know, Lyla and I can barely keep up with her,” Diggle sighed, the exhaustion creeping into his voice.

Carly’s smile faded a little and a sad flicker crossed her eyes as she stared at the photos. “Her smile… looks like Andy’s smile in this one.”

Diggle peered at the picture and nodded silently.

“He would have loved being an uncle, John.”

“He would have tortured me about boys and dating,” Diggle replied ruefully.

Carly laughed and said, “Yes, he would have, but when Sara went on her first date, he would have waited up with you.”

Diggle nodded in agreement and said, “Yes and brought his Glock.“

Carly burst out laughing, and Diggle quickly joined her. As the laughter died down, sadness settled over them. For a moment, the two were lost in their own Andrew-fueled thoughts. Diggle brightened, a little forcefully, in an attempt to lighten the mood, "How’s Ted?”

Carly met Ted Kord while serving him at Big Belly Burger. An order turned to conversation, and conversation turned to a job offer. She left Big Belly Burger for a temp position at Kord Industries. The position became permanent and so did her relationship with Ted. They began dating soon after.

"He’s good. Really good. In fact, that’s why I wanted to talk to you… We’re getting married,” Carly said hesitantly.

Diggle immediately glanced down at Carly’s hand, which was showcasing an incredibly large diamond ring. “I can’t believe I didn’t notice your ring. Wow! Carly, that’s amazing. Ted is a lucky man.” Diggle leaned over and gave Carly another kiss on the cheek.

Carly smiled at Diggle, but it immediately gave way to  nervousness as she fiddled with her ring. She swallowed hard and said, “There’s more. A.J. and I…we’re moving to Central City. Ted is opening another site there, and he needs to be based in Central City to ensure it gets off the ground…” Carly faltered when she saw the sadness on Diggle’s face. She reached for his hand and grasped it tightly, “Please, John. Please try to understand.”

Diggle shook his head, “I don’t. Your whole family is here. This is where A.J. grew up! His school is here. Kord can be based anywhere Carly.”

“This wasn’t Ted’s idea, John. It was mine,” Carly said flatly. She released John’s hand and stared defiantly at him.

Diggle peered at Carly in complete bewilderment as he asked, “Why?”

“Because…” Carly sighed and rubbed her eyes. When she looked up, they were shining with tears. “You are right. Our entire family is here. A.J.’s school…but Starling is where I met Andrew. Starling is where I married Andrew. Starling is where I had his son. Starling is…everywhere I look I see him. Okay? I’ve tried. I’ve tried to move on and get past it, but this city is about my life with Andrew. Or what that life was or could have been. I have a chance for a fresh start with Ted, and I want to take it,  John. I need to take it.”

Diggle nodded resolutely and said, “Okay. You do what you have to do, Carly. If you think a move will help, then do it. I want you to be happy. A.J. wants you to be happy, and Central City isn’t that far.”

“Lyla mentioned your new job takes you Central City sometimes.”

“More than you know,” Diggle said dryly.

“Security still?” Carly asked nonchalantly.

Diggle nodded silently. She hesitated once more but then asked, “Are you… still investigating Andy’s murder?”

“I’m always investigating Andy’s murder, Carly. You know that.”

“I was packing the house, just getting it ready for the move. I had the floors stripped, and a board came loose in Andy’s office.”

Carly reached into her purse and Diggle reached across the table, but Carly shook her head no. “No, underneath. Please.”

Carly slid the envelope to Diggle, and he glanced inside before slipping it into his jacket pocket.

“It’s a safe-deposit box key, Carly,” Diggle said, lowering his voice.

Carly nodded nervously, “I had no idea it was there, John. I swear. The thing is, we’ve never banked at Starling National. We always banked at City Federal.”

Diggle hesitated, “Carly, I don’t think they’ll let me access the box. If it’s in Andy’s name, I’m sure only his next of kin can open it.”

Carly shook her head emphatically, her tone growing more hushed, “That’s the thing. I went to Starling National. I tried to open the box. It’s not in Andy’s name… or mine. It’s in yours.”

Diggle sat back in his chair, the shock overwhelming him, and he took a deep breath.

“John… do you remember what you promised me?” Carly asked, leveling a hard stare at Diggle.

He met her eyes and gave a quick jerk of his head as affirmation as he said, “I promised you I would find whoever murdered my brother… and I would kill them.”

“I know things are different now. You have Lyla and Sara…”

“Nothing has changed, Carly. Not for me,” Diggle interrupted.

“Okay. Good.”

“Carly…” Diggle glanced down at the package bulging in his jacket pocket. Carly looked up at him expectantly. Diggle stared at her gravely and said, “I think getting the hell out of Starling City is a great idea. Do it soon. Okay?”

Carly nodded, and Diggle took her hand as the fear crept into her eyes. She said, “That’s the plan.”

The waitress came back to take their order and almost seamlessly Diggle and Carly shifted back to two family members having a simple lunch. As if, suddenly, their conversations weren’t their own. As if, someone could be listening.

_***Broken Crown by Mumford & Sons_

When Lyla opened the door to the apartment, she was surprised to find it pitch black. Typically, John was home this time of the day. She flipped on the lights and gasped in shock. John was on the couch, a beer by his side, in the complete dark.

“Johnny, you scared the crap out of me!” Lyla exclaimed. Diggle didn’t respond, and she peered at him. Her confusion gave way to concern. “Johnny, are you okay?

Diggle ignored her question and asked instead, "Where’s Sara?”

Lyla hesitated but then said, “I took her to the sitters. They called me in. Amanda Waller was killed in a car bomb today.”

Diggle looked up at Lyla stunned, the news registering with him. Lyla nodded in confirmation, sat down next to John and took a sip of his beer.

“I texted you and I called, but you didn’t answer. Where were you?”

Diggle looked at his phone as if in a haze. He shook his head in bewilderment, “I’m sorry. I… I was taking care of something.”

“I thought you were having lunch with Carly,” Lyla asked softly.

Diggle noded and said, “I was… that’s what I was taking care of. She found something… of Andy’s… or mine.”

“What?”

“A safe-deposit box key.”

Lyla peered at Diggle closely and asked, “What’s going on Johnny?”

“The key was to Starling National, but Carly and Andy never banked there. When she tried to access the box, it wasn’t in her name or Andy’s. It was in mine.”

Lyla looked gobsmacked, “How… why would Andy have a safe-deposit box with your name on it?”

“It was more than that Lyla. I had to present ID. Everything, down to my social-security number, my photo… everything was a perfect match. Andy set it all up. It was there. Waiting for me.”

“What was waiting for you?”

Diggle pointed to the kitchen table. Lyla stood up and picked up a journal. She began to flip through it. As she read page after page, her eyes widened in shock.

“Holy… mother…,” Lyla looked up at Diggle, and he nodded gravely.

“Yeah. Give it another half hour, and you’ll be where I’m at.”

“John… Johnny… this is… these notes. These are times, locations, meets. Is this Andy’s handwriting?”

Diggle nodded silently, and Lyla began pouring through the journal. “He has code written here. Pages and pages of handwritten code. Johnny… this is tradecraft.”

“Well, the journal isn’t, but yeah… everything else is,” Diggle replied. He stood up and walked over to Lyla. He put his hands on her shoulders and forced Lyla to look him in the eye. “I love you, Lyla. You know that right?”

Lyla nodded. Diggle gripped her shoulders firmly and said, “I’m only going to ask you this once, and I need you to tell me the truth. Did my brother work for ARGUS?”

Lyla shook Diggle off immediately and angrily responded, “No. Do you honestly think I would have kept something like that from you, John?”

Diggle sighed and answered, “No… I’m sorry. I’m just thrown by this, Lyla. My brother puts top-secret information in a journal, keeps it in a safe-deposit box in my name, hides the key under the floorboards of his house on the off chance his wife finds it… It’s like…”

“It’s like he knew he was going to die,” Lyla finished softly. “Johnny, that has to be it. He was hedging his bets. He didn’t want it to be found unless…”

"Unless he was dead,” Diggle interrupted.

Lyla nodded, “Look, Andy wasn’t ARGUS but based on this information he was some kind of an agent.”

“He was a bodyguard, Lyla! He was the one who got me into security after Afghanistan. I was hired through the same company.” Diggle was rambling now, and Lyla grabbed his hand, forcing him to sit down on the couch.

“Johnny, look at me. Yes, the security job was real. How many times have you gone undercover for the team? How many times have I gone undercover for ARGUS? The job has to look real, so it is real. Whatever this journal is… Andy was risking everything to write this all down. If someone found it, his cover would be blown sky high. This journal would get him killed or Carly or A.J. or you. What if what was you? What would you do?”

“I would hide it somewhere that was almost impossible to find so it didn’t fall into the wrong hands. If I survived and didn’t need it, I could destroy it. No harm, no foul. But if I didn’t…” Diggle trailed off and buried his hands in his face.

“He hid it well. It took five years, but you just found Andy’s Plan B.”

For a moment, he absorbed this information then came to a decision. He flipped open the journal and pointed to a recurring pattern of dates, times, and locations.

“These dates and times… what do you make of them?” Diggle asked.

Lyla assessed it quickly and answered, “It has to be his handler. Same frequency. Rotating location. Yeah, that’s where I’d start.”

Diggle nodded resolutely and grabbed his jacket. Lyla looked at him flabbergasted, “Johnny… it’s been five years. You have no idea which agency Andy was working for, who his handler was or how to contact them. Who knows if they are still active or alive for that matter!”

“You’re right. I don’t have any answers, but I’m going to get some. I don’t know which agency or who his handler was. I don’t even know who the hell my brother was anymore, but he left me a damn roadmap, and I’m going to follow it.”

“Call the team. Take some back up,” Lyla demanded.

Diggle shook his head and took his glock out of the gun case. He loaded it at lightening pace and slipped it behind his back. “No. Nobody else knows… not until I know more.”

Lyla closed her eyes in frustration, “Johnny…”

“I mean it, Lyla. Not a word. I can handle this for now. Too many people involved might spook whoever is at the other end of this.”

Lyla nodded in agreement. He paused at the door as a thought occurred to him, “Who killed Waller?”

“You mean out of the thousands of potential suspects? They have no idea.”

“Why did they want to see you?”

“You know why,” Lyla responded knowingly.

“They want you to lead ARGUS,” Diggle replied.

Lyla nodded and answered, “Yup. I turned it down of course,” Lyla paused, looked at Diggle hesitantly and said, “I held something back when they called me in. Waller called me just before she died.”

Diggle stepped back into the apartment. “About what?”

“I don’t know. She said she stumbled onto something, and she needed my help. She sounded scared, Johnny. Never in my life have I heard fear in that woman’s voice.”

Diggle considered this and put his hands on Lyla’s shoulders again, giving her a soft kiss on the forehead.

“Take the job,” Diggle said resolutely.

“What?” Lyla replied, shocked.

“First, without Waller you can change ARGUS from the inside, which is something I know you want to do. Second, if Waller was reaching outside of ARGUS for help, it means she didn’t trust anyone else. If you are leading ARGUS, you can control the investigation and find out who or what scared her. If you don’t take the job, you’ll eventually ask the team to look into Waller’s murder, so we’ll need access to documents anyway. Without Felicity that will be difficult. Last time I checked, she was the only one who could break through ARGUS’ firewall. So let’s just cut to the chase and get you inside. And third, having my wife leading the world’s most secret agency while I investigate my dead brother’s relationship with another agency wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world. Now tell me I’m wrong on any of those accounts.”

Lyla shook her head in agreement and said, “No sir.”

Diggle gave Lyla another firm kiss as she commanded, “Watch your six.”

Diggle gave a wink as he replied, “Copy that.”

With that Diggle shut the door. He glanced down at the journal and whispered to himself, “Alright little brother… what the hell did you get yourself into?”

_***Ticking Bomb by Aloe Blacc_

Diggle called Carly to make sure she wasn’t at home. She was watching A.J’s baseball game. Diggle told her to stay put and go out for ice cream later. When Carly suggested they stay at Ted’s for the night, Diggle agreed it was a good idea.

The spare key was hidden under a frog figurine Andy bought Carly as a joke for their anniversary. She didn’t find it very humorous until Andy gave her the real gift - diamond earrings. She still wore the earrings every day. Diggle knew for certain they were the same pair because he was there when Andy bought them.

Carly was right. Andy was everywhere.

He surveyed Andy’s old office, which was practically bare. He searched the floor boards and shelves, looking for more hiding places. After he was satisfied there was nothing, he checked the rest of the house. Still nothing. He wasn’t sure what he was looking, but he’d know when he saw it.

Diggle headed downstairs and wandered into the kitchen. He noticed the cordless phone. It was a landline. Given the day and age, Diggle once asked Lyla why she still had it. She said Andy insisted on it for emergencies.

_Andy insisted on it…_

Diggle picked up the phone and immediately took off the back. There, nestled deep within the cords, was a tiny transmitter. Instead of removing it, Diggle returned the backing. He hit the talk button and waited for a dial tone. Except… he didn’t dial a number.

“This is John Diggle. I know who you are. I know you are listening. I know everything. Meet me at midnight in the warehouse district off 13th. The abandoned Stagg Chemical Plant. Or I take what I know to the Starling City Sentinel.”

He hung up and glanced at his watch. Now, he simply needed to go to the location and wait.

_***Style by Taylor Swift_

As Felicity walked down the steps of the corporate office of the cyber-security firm, she was surprised to see Oliver patiently waiting for her, leaning against his motorcycle. Dressed in a black leather jacket, jeans and blue button-down shirt, he was so impossibly sexy Felicity stumbled a bit at the sight of him. Oliver took a step toward her, immediately concerned, but Felicity held up her hand to hold him back.

“Nope. I’m good. I got it,” she said calmly, and Oliver smiled a little at her clumsiness. She steadied herself and walked the remaining few steps down.

“How did the inspection go?” Felicity asked.

“Good. Really good,” Oliver answered with a relieved smile.

Her curiosity piqued, Felicity tipped her head to the side and asked, “What are you doing here?”

“I thought we could celebrate. Maybe take a little drive,” Oliver answered softly.

Felicity glanced at the bike and asked, “On that?”

Oliver nodded and Felicity crossed her arms, her tone suddenly serious, “One question. Are you going to break any traffic laws?”

Oliver nodded, his tone just as serious and answered, “Absolutely.”

After a beat, he and Felicity smiled at one another. Despite her heels, she had to stand on her tiptoes as she wrapped her arms around Oliver’s neck and kissed him on the nose. She touched her forehead to his and whispered, “You’re on.”

Felicity was grateful she wore her sensible skinny black pants to work. Her low-cut, white, silk tank top was another matter. Despite the heat, there was a  steady cool ocean breeze blowing through Coast City. As if on cue, Oliver took off his leather jacket and slipped it over Felicity’s shoulders. She maneuvered her arms into the sleeves. The heat from Oliver’s body still radiated off the jacket lining. She giggled a little at the bulk of the jacket and flapped her arms a bit. Oliver shook his head at her in bemusement as he sat down on the bike, offering his hand as Felicity swung her leg over. Immediately, her body slipped next to Oliver’s. Helmets secured, Oliver waited until he felt Felicity’s arms encircle his waist, his signal to take off.

As they zipped down the freeway, Oliver maneuvered nimbly in and out traffic while maintaining his lightening speed. Nearly everything was a blur, so the bike became a sensory experience: the tensing of his muscles underneath her fingers, her heart pounding against her chest, the hum of the engine, the roar of the traffic and the blinding, swirling lights. Felicity molded her body against Oliver’s, allowing him to warm her and guide her. They moved together in such fluid motion it felt as if they were one. The speed and sounds should have frighten her, but Felicity loved it. It was exhilaration and freedom working in perfect harmony with an overwhelming sense of security. The only other time she felt like that was with The Arrow. When he would gather her in his arms and they would soar across the zip line, there was nothing to fear. As long as Oliver’s arms were around her, his body next to hers, she was safe. She was flying.

_***Better by Matthew Mayfield_

Felicity was so lost in the ride she barely noticed where they were going or how long it took to get there. As Oliver slowed and pulled up to the  **Starling City docks** , however, she became overwhelmed with complete bewilderment. She took off her helmet and shook her blonde curls loose. Oliver was already off the bike, and he offered his hand again to help Felicity off as well.

“What are we doing at the Starling City docks?” Felicity asked.

“Something I need to show you,” Oliver answered softly.

Felicity slipped off Oliver’s jacket. He hesitated and asked, “You won’t get cold?”

Felicity shook her head no, tsnaked her arms around Oliver’s waist and said, “I have you.”

Oliver put his arms around Felicity’s shoulder, and she snuggled in against him. He kissed the top of her head and whispered, “Yes, you do.”

They walked towards the dock in silence, arms wrapped around each other, but as they came closer, Felicity felt Oliver’s body tensing. She glanced down at his free hand. He was flicking his fingers back and forth. Oliver was nervous, but Felicity couldn’t fathom why.

“Oliver, I’m very curious about whatever you need to show me, but just so we’re clear, honey, I’ve seen the docks before. Lots of times. I watched Diggle tranquilize you right over…” Felicity fell into a stunned silence as they reached the ramp.

Hurricane lamps filled with white candles lined the inner edge of the ramp, leading all the way down to the edge of the dock. The firelight of hundreds of candles cast a soft glow over the darkened dock, illuminating their path. She felt Oliver release her and she continued walking in a daze until she reached the bottom of the ramp and stood on the dock. The candlelight flickered against her face and she could feel the heat burning from the flames. The smell of vanilla intermixed with the ocean air culminating in a single, intoxicating scent. The moon, full and bright in the night sky, partnered with the candlelight as an act of contrition for obliterating the stars. The ocean lapped gently against the edge of the docks, and a soft breeze blew across, but Felicity was too stunned to feel it.

Felicity took a moment to absorb the scene, and Oliver took a moment to absorb Felicity. The ocean breeze wafted through her hair, causing her curls to drift in unruly and wild patterns. The candlelight made her skin glow, like a sunset bouncing across the water. Her white silk popped against the night sky. The blouse dipped and drifted, in a sway with the wind, and Oliver let his eyes drift over her curves. When Felicity finally turned to meet Oliver’s gaze, he began to speak.

“This is where it started for me. My father’s boat was right over there,” Oliver pointed to the open water, where the Queen’s Gambit use to float. “I left with my father because I was running away and, the truth is, I thought my life ended that day on the docks.”

Felicity reached for Oliver’s hand and for a moment he just held hers in silence, caressing it gently with his thumb. He took a deep breath and continued.

“Do you remember when I told you I came back to Starling City before they found me on the island?

"Yes. With Thea…” Felicity answered tenderly. Not a trance of judgment or condemnation in her voice, but only love.

Oliver nodded and said, “That was the night I saw you for the first time.”

Felicity had grown accustomed to Oliver’s confessions and while he never ceased to surprise her, this one left her stunned.

“You brought some files into my father’s office and… you were… well you.” Oliver faltered for a moment, smiling at the memory. “That night, everything was unrecognizable, but when I saw you, it felt like home for the first time. I don’t know how else to explain it. When I came back from the island, the day I walked into your office, it felt the same. And I remembered. So, I kept coming back. Again and again. Instead of the island… it was you pulling me in. Like a light in the dark.”

Felicity swallowed hard, biting her lip, completely overwhelmed.

“My last year on the island, I would stand on the beach and imagine coming home. For five years, surviving was all that mattered. Surviving is all I knew, but you taught me how to live again. It’s why I brought you here. I realize now I wasn’t running from something. I was running toward something. Something more than survival or a mission. You. I don’t want this to be the place where my life ended. I want this to be the place where my life began.”

Oliver took a step back, releasing Felicity’s hand as he reached into his pocket. He opened a [ **ring**  ](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/d5/f7/31/d5f7312e04b1d66f684f037a4922c015.jpg)box and knelt down on one knee.

“Holy frack!” Felicity gasped.

“Felicity… will you marry me?” Oliver asked, his voice confident but tears shining in his eyes.

Dead silence. Felicity simply stared at Oliver, a stunned and overwhelmed expression on her face. Oliver let a beat pass by and then another, but it began feeling awkward.

“Felicity? Typically this is the part where you say something,” he prodded gently.

Felicity blinked rapidly, as if snapping herself out of some kind of daze. Her voice shaking, she said, “Sorry… I swear I thought I was talking. I think I just had one of those out-of-body experiences. Have you ever had one of those? I felt like I was floating and listening to myself say all kinds of things… but apparently I was silent according to you, which is incredibly strange, I mean really strange, because I can count on my hand the times I’ve been speechless. Like the time in my fifth-grade spelling bee. My word was logorrhea and I just froze. Could have been the spotlights, so maybe it’s a light thing? Because that  **[ring](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/d5/f7/31/d5f7312e04b1d66f684f037a4922c015.jpg)** … is… wow. I never really understood the whole diamond thing until now. I grew up in Vegas. Once I saw a blackjack dealer propose to a trapeze artist with a Ring Pop…”

“Felicity…” Oliver attempted to interrupt.

“In fact diamonds were going out of fashion in the thirties, until Debeers came up with the "a diamond is forever” campaign…“

"Feli-ci-ty,” Oliver tried again, but to no avail.

“Which is pretty astounding. It makes you wonder if Ring Pop came up with a brilliant ad campaign if we would all start buying Ring Pops for engagement -”

“Felicity!” Oliver said firmly, and he stood up. The sudden movement surprised Felicity, and she fell silent.

“This is all fascinating, but I was wondering if at some point you planned on giving me an answer,” Oliver asked dryly, his patience wearing thin.

“Oh, I did give you an answer… I thought I did. Wasn’t that the first thing I said?”

“No,” Oliver sighed exasperated.

“No? I could have sworn I said yes, but maybe that was during the out-of-body conversation,”

“Wait, was that a yes?” Oliver’s eyes widened.

“No,” Felicity said simply, a little distracted.

“No?” Oliver completely deflated, and Felicity immediately bit her lip in regret. She shook her head as if coming to her senses and put her hand on his face, so she could look him in the eye.

As she began to speak, tears formed in her eyes and her voice welled with emotion, “I mean no - the out-of-body yes wasn’t the actual yes. But yes. This now is my yes. Yes, yes, yes. I would say yes to a Ring Pop or -”

She didn’t get to finish her sentence. Oliver kissed her, and the words died on her lips. For a moment, the two of them just held each other, lost in the kiss sealing their future together. As Oliver pulled back, he put his hands on Felicity’s face and repeatedly kissed her in a punctuated pattern until she started to laugh.

“Can I…?” Oliver motioned to the ring box. Felicity nodded excitedly, holding out her shaking hand.

“You’re shaking,” Oliver whispered as he slipped the ring on her finger.

“I think I’m still in shock,” Felicity responded. As the ring fit perfectly on her finger, Oliver and Felicity fell silent at just stared at it. Felicity glanced up at Oliver, and a soft smile played on his face as he looked at the ring on her finger. She leaned in to kiss him again. Only this time when she pulled away, Oliver picked her up and twirled her around as they held each other. When he finally set her down, they both exhaled deeply, all the nervous energy floating away.

“Why did you think we came here?” Oliver asked curiously.

“To buy a boat together! I thought you went insane. Thank God you were just proposing. That actually makes sense,” Felicity explained.

“I promise you I will never buy a boat,” Oliver laughed and slipped his arm around Felicity. She snuggled up against him once again. They began walking back up the ramp. “I thought we’d have dinner, and then I made hotel reservations at -”

“Oliver… would you mind… I mean that sounds amazing, but honestly… all I want to do right now is order pizza,” Felicity countered.

Oliver furrowed his brow and asked, “Pizza? Are you sure?”

Felicity wrapped her arms around Oliver’s neck and gave him a long, slow kiss. Then she seductively whispered, “I plan on eating the pizza in our bed. With you. Naked.”

“You always have better plans than me,” Oliver whispered back as he kissed Felicity in agreement.

“Not always. You came up with a pretty good one tonight,” Felicity answered softly, glancing down at her ring.

Oliver took her hand and kissed the ring. The two began to kiss again, slowly becoming entangled in one another as the urgency grew. Felicity pulled back breathlessly and asked, “How fast can you drive that bike?”

“Let’s find out,” Oliver grinned devilishly, and they began walking towards the bike at rapid pace. Oliver immediately sat down with a quizzical expression. “What’s logorrhea mean?”

Felicity burst out laughing and answered, “Excessive wordiness or incoherent talkativeness.” When Oliver raised his eyebrows at her she swatted him playfully on the shoulder as he helped her sit on the bike. “I am aware of the irony.”

Suddenly the sound of sirens began to wail in the distance and Felicity turned to listen to them.

“Felicity?” Oliver asked. He was clearly talking to her but she didn’t hear.

“Yeah?”

“I asked if you were ready to go home?” Oliver repeated.

Felicity took one more glance backwards towards the direction of the sirens. For some reason, she felt a moment of hesitation. Shaking it off she smiled at Oliver and nodded emphatically, “Yes.”

As Oliver drove off, the sound of the siren grew fainter as the distance between them and Starling City grew. Felicity gripped Oliver tighter to fight the pull of the sirens. She felt an unsettled feeling inside her grow. One word kept playing over and over again in her mind.

 _Home_.

Starling City was no longer home to Oliver. She didn’t know when that happened or why it bothered her so much.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BOLD: Contest Winners. I held polls on my blog that allowed readers to choose certain aspects in the story - from songs to wedding selections. Contest winners are revealed in their first appearance in the story. All contest winners will be published in the final chapter.
> 
> ***Songs I listened to while writing the scene.
> 
> The story is finished. I am posting chapters as my editor finishes edits. 12 Chapters total. 175 pages.

_***Beautiful Lie by 30 Seconds To Mars_

When Robert Queen shut down the Queen Consolidated plant, it triggered a domino effect in The Glades. Several companies, including Stagg Industries, closed the doors on their plants and warehouses as well. They couldn’t even be bothered to tear them down or to sell them. They just left them to rot. The Stagg plant wreaked from the remnants of chemicals produced and carelessly dumped into The Glades water supply. It was a popular spot for drug deals and squatters, but Diggle chose it because the team just did a sweep the other night. It was clean, and he knew it well. He knew, for example, the left corner of the entrance was a blind spot. Laurel was jumped during the sweep… a mistake that required six stitches… a mistake Diggle capitalized on now.  

The person walking through the entrance, covered in a black hoodie, never saw it coming. By the time they knew Diggle was there, it was too late. He slammed them up against the wall and pressed the gun to the back of their head.

“Ow,” grimaced a definitively feminine voice.

“Move and I blow your head off,” Diggle ordered menacingly.

Body pressed against the wall, back to Diggle, the woman slowly raised her hands and said, “I’m not armed, John.”

He ignored her and searched her. Finding nothing, he whirled the woman to face him at gunpoint. Very slowly, she took off her hood. A petite woman, with razor-short, raven hair, stood before him.

“Guns don’t exactly breed trust,” she said pointedly as her eyes flicked to the Glock.

“Why the hell would I trust you?” Diggle demanded.

“Because Andy did,” she answered softly, her voice catching at Andrew’s name.

Diggle took a step back, but kept the gun pointing at her, and asked, “Who the hell are you?”

“My name is Penelope Lord. I am an agent with the Central Intelligence Agency,” Penelope answered, her voice clear and confident. “Check my pocket.”

Still holding the gun on her, Diggle reached in Penelope’s pocket and pulled out her CIA badge. He examined it quickly, but from what he could tell it was legit. Lyla could determine the validity better than him. He stuck the badge into his pocket.

“Pretty stupid to carry an ID on you that identifies you as CIA,” Diggle admonished.

“Yeah, well, I figured I needed proof. Can I have it back now?” Penelope countered.

“This doesn’t prove anything and no,” Diggle said firmly. He motioned with the gun, and Penelope stepped away from the wall.

“So now what? You just gonna hold me at gunpoint?”

“For starters. You’re going to answer some questions,” Diggle said.

Penelope sighed and said, “John, I will tell you anything you want to know, but the gun isn’t necessary.”

“I’ll be the one to decide that. Who are you?”

“I told you. I am CI-”

“No, I mean to my brother. Who were you to my brother?” Diggle interrupted.

Penelope swallowed hard and said, “His handler.”

“His handler? Then that means…”

“Yes, Andy was CIA.”

Diggle considered this for a moment, but then in a flash of anger he pressed the gun up to Penelope’s chest and pushed her into a wall again.

“For all I know, you work for the people that killed Andy.”

“I swear to you. I’m telling the truth,” Penelope protested, her voice calm despite the Glock pressed into her chest.

“Prove it.”

Flabbergasted Penelope asked, “How?”

Diggle thought and then said, “If you were his partner, then you must have known my brother pretty well.”

“Better than anyone. Maybe even you,” Penelope countered confidently, defiance glittering in her eye.

“Then tell me, Ms. Lord… tell me something about my brother only I would know,” Diggle asked, leveling a steady gaze at Penelope.

For a moment, Penelope thought, as if sifting through a pile of memories. Finding one, she looked up with an air of confidence , but, when she spoke, her voice was soft. “I’ll do you one better. I’ll tell you something even you don’t know. He knew you were there. Watching.”

“What?”

“The day of the fight. It was Andy’s freshman year and your senior. At the end, he saw you…in the back of the crowd. He could only see you out of one eye, but he knew were you there. Andy said it must have taken every ounce of your will not to jump in, but that’s how he knew…” Penelope’s voice faltered, her voice catching again.

“Knew what?” Diggle asked.

“He said that was the day he knew you saw him as more than his little brother. You saw him as an equal. As a man. He-”

“Stop talking,” Diggle whispered, the tears springing into his eyes. He lowered the gun and slipped it into his back pocket. Penelope wiped a tear from her face, and for a moment, the two stood in silence.

Diggle took a deep breath and said, “Okay. Tell me what you know.”

“First… how did you find me?” Penelope asked.

“I may not have the gun Ms. Lord, but you still need to give me answers. Not the other way around.”

Penelope nodded in agreement and said, “We recruited Andy out of college. He was one of the top technical minds in the country, John. You know that. During your first tour of duty, Andy was at The Farm. He was good, John. Top of his class. We wanted him for cyber ops but he refused. He trained to be a field agent.”

“How did we not know about this? Even after his death the CIA never -”

“Andy was NOC, John. As far as the CIA is concerned, Andrew Diggle didn’t exist. I’m risking my job by coming here,” Penelope explained, her tone was sympathetic but firm.

“Then why did you?”

“Starling City Sentinel? Seemed the lesser of two evils. And…”

“And?”

“I lost Andy too, and I want to get the son of a bitch who killed my partner,” Penelope added fiercely.

Diggle nodded in acceptance and Penelope continued.

“The CIA investigated H.I.V.E. for a decade, but could never get a foothold on it. It’s a labyrinth of shell corporations and conglomerates, layers upon layers of affiliations, both legal and criminal, domestic and international. Over the years, though, we kept hearing one name… Damien Darhk.”

Diggle’s eyes widened in recognition, and Penelope shook her head, “See? Darhk’s reputation proceeds him. In the beginning, we didn’t know if it Darhk was a code name, or an amalgamation of multiple entities. Quite frankly, the man was a ghost. Our investigation eventually did lead to one man, who was very real. Cameron Kane. I’m sure you recognize that name.”

“Andy was bodyguard for his son, Nathan. I thought Lawton missed, and my brother died taking a bullet for Cameron.”

“Deadshot never misses, John,” Penelope said, crossing her arms.

“Yeah, that’s what he said when he told me H.I.V.E. hired him to kill my brother,” Diggle answered. Penelope’s eyes widened in shock. “I’ve been investigating my brother’s death for five years, Ms. Lord. I know more than you think I do.”

“Alright, so then you know that Cameron Kane is an arms dealer.”

“He sold guns through a corporate shell in the Caymans to third-world countries, but I could never connect the shell to H.I.V.E. It’s like it doesn’t exist,” Diggle answered.

"Oh… it does. We knew Cameron was an arms dealer. We knew he had connections to H.I.V.E., but we were wrong on one count.”

“Which was?”

“Cameron Kane isn’t connected to H.I.V.E. He is H.I.V.E.”

Diggle’s brow furrowed in confusion, “How did you -”

“John, I cannot tell you the number of agents who have died gathering intel on H.I.V.E., trying to bring it down. Your brother is one of many, I’m afraid. Buried under layers of corporations and third-party affiliates was an initial investment Kane used to launch his empire. The money was traced back to a hack from twenty years ago. Someone stole millions of dollars from the accounts of wealthy corporations. At the time, it was the hack of the century. The hacker left a calling card of sorts. It  was never identified until we found the same signifier on an intercepted arms deal twenty years later.”

Penelope pulled out a pen and drew on her hand three hexagons – one on top, two on bottom – and showed it to Diggle.

“H.I.V.E.,” Diggle whispered.

“This hack? This is where it started. This is where H.I.V.E. started. And now… we could connect Kane directly to H.I.V.E.”

“Is Cameron Kane Damien Darhk?” Diggle asked.

Penelope shrugged, “Initially, that’s what we thought. That Damien Darhk was some code name. Andy never bought it though. We used to argue about for hours.”

“Why didn’t he buy it?”

“If you ran the world’s most dangerous terrorist organization and been a virtual ghost for twenty years, would you really be dumb enough to leave a signifier tying you to the organization?  A signifier that could connect that terrorist organization to your family’s company? Or would you use a front man? A stooge. A name to dangle out to authorities, sort of like bread crumbs to the wrong trail,” Penelope smiled to herself. “He was smart, John.”

“Yeah he was,” Diggle agreed.

“Finding out if Cameron was Darhk was part of a much larger puzzle we were after…”

“Which was?”

Penelope sighed and rubbed her eyes, the exhaustion finally getting to her, “There were whispers H.I.V.E. was building a weapon of some kind. Something that put the fear of God into people who didn’t scare easily. It’s called The Box.”

“The Box? Sounds like the terrorist version of the Boogie Man,” Diggle scoffed.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought too. Until… Andy got inside.”

Diggle closed his eyes and sighed, “The protection detail.”

Penelope nodded, “Getting access to Cameron was nearly impossible, but Nathan was a different story. He was a teenager. His previous bodyguard was picked up on a drug charge…”

“Drug charge?” Diggle eyed Penelope warily.

She smiled devilishly and said, “Sometimes we make our own luck at the CIA. Andy had some early successes in cyber ops, but he was anxious for field work. His physical capabilities in combination with his technical skills made him the perfect agent to….“ Penelope suddenly stopped and looked at Diggle hesitantly.

"Don’t make me pull out the gun,” Diggle warned dryly.

Penelope sighed and answered, “To hack H.I.V.E.’s network.”

Diggle raised his eyebrows in surprise, “What?”

“Kane’s connection to H.I.V.E. was obvious, but we still didn’t have enough on H.I.V.E. or Darhk. Hell, we didn’t even know who Darhk was. There’s no way this multinational terrorist organization isn’t operating some kind of network. There are too many parts, too many…”

“Alright fine. What did Andy find out?”

Penelope answered, “It’s not that simple, John. This isn’t hacking into Home Depot. This is H.I.V.E. Andy said it was the most sophisticated code he’d ever seen…even with access to Kane’s computer. There were firewalls on top of firewalls, buried underneath another mountain of firewalls. Andy had to hack each firewall individually. Every layer he hacked, led to another layer of information. The early intel clearly showed Darhk was real, but Kane wasn’t him. Kane was high up in the organization…close to Darhk. Andy found references to a project, one Kane had been overseeing for years. It was something they called YHWH.”

“What is YHWH?” Diggle demanded adamantly.

“It’s ancient Hebrew for Yahweh,” Penelope explained.

Diggle paused to give Penelope a quizzical look, and she simply shrugged helplessly in response.

“Is it The Box?”

“I don’t know.”

“How many years was Kane overseeing it?”

“I don’t know.”

“Well then…”

“John… listen to me. That’s as far as Andy got. The code was a spiderweb. Andy said he’d never seen anything like it. Nothing in the CIA’s technology remotely came close. Andy needed hours, not minutes, to even have a chance at hacking it. So, he started writing down pieces of the code from memory. Bit by bit. The goal was to pull enough code together so he could devise a way to hack it, but every line of code he pieced together just led to another layer of firewalls… and then…” Penelope stopped again, the frustration evident.

“And then?” Diggle demanded. “What?”

“Andy went dark for a month. I didn’t hear from him. I swear to God I thought he was dead. Eventually, he reached out. He told me he cracked another layer. He found out what Project YHWH was.”

“But you said you didn’t know what it was.”

“Yes. I don’t know what it was. Andy never had a chance to tell me. Lawton put a bullet in his head that night.”

In frustration, Diggle put his hands on his hands and walked in a circular pattern around Penelope. She waited until Diggle circled back to her to continue.

“It gets worse. After Andy’s murder, the CIA wiped out the investigation into H.I.V.E.,” Penelope explained, her anger seething under the surface.

Aghast, Diggle asked, “Why?”

“I don’t know, John. I’m not talking about shutting down the investigation. I’m talking total eradication. They erased it from existence. Files, evidence… ten years of investigative work… gone. Everything I told you is from memory.”

“You tapped Andy’s phone. Not the CIA.”

“Andy was copying code, but security at the Kane mansion was electronic. They were scanned. So, he was writing pieces of code in newspapers, magazines - anything he could get his hands on. Then he transferred it one central location, his journal, to piece it back together. I never knew where he kept it. He thought it would be safer that way, and I agreed. After he died and the investigation was shut down, I thought the journal was gone too. For all I knew, H.I.V.E. had the journal or the CIA destroyed it. I kept the tap on Carly’s phone in part to protect her. If she had the journal, it was the only piece of evidence linking H.I.V.E., Cameron Kane and Damien Darhk to criminal activity. I thought since you contacted me you found it.”

“I didn’t,” Diggle lied. “I… found the bug. That’s all.”

“So the part about knowing everything?”

“I bluffed. I only knew someone was listening to Carly’s phone calls. I didn’t know who or that it connected to Andy in anyway.”.

Even after all the information Penelope shared, Diggle still wasn’t sure he could trust her. There were still too many unanswered questions. Penelope peered at him closely, assessing his truthfulness. Diggle looked her square in the eye, but stayed calm and relaxed. He’d been trained long ago how to lie effectively.

“Good bluff,” Penelope replied simply. Her voice was flat and matter of fact, with no hint of emotion. Diggle couldn’t tell if she believed him or not.

“You know, John… you can trust me.”

Nope. Didn’t believe him.

“No, Ms. Lord, I think you need me to trust you. Whether or not I can remains to be seen,” Diggle answered bluntly. A little honestly couldn’t hurt to assuage her doubts.

“Fair enough. How can I prove myself?” Penelope asked simply.

“Tell me where Cameron Kane is. I kept Kane on my radar ever since Lawton told me H.I.V.E. hired him, but six months ago… he disappeared. Where?”

Penelope shook her head and answered, “I don’t know. I lost track of Kane years ago.”

“Then it looks like it’s time for you to pick up the scent again, Ms. Lord.”

“Fine. I’ll see what I can dig up. John, a word of warning. Be careful.  Eradicating a ten-year CIA investigation means H.I.V.E. has a lot of muscle and isn’t afraid of flexing it.”

“I’m well aware of H.I.V.E.’s influence with politicians, Ms. Lord. They don’t scare me,” Diggle answered.

“I’m not talking about politicians, John. I’m talking about Darhk.”

“Darhk doesn’t scare me either.”

“Hmm… have you ever heard of Eduardo Flamingo?”

Diggle shook his head no, and Penelope continued, “Flamingo likes to eat his victim’s faces after he murders them. It’s sort of his calling card,” she paused and waited for Diggle’s disgusted look to pass. “A Gotham City detective, Jim Gordon, contacted the CIA after they arrested Flamingo 12 years ago. Any information regarding Damien Darhk or H.I.V.E. was flagged and sent my way, especially in the early days of the investigation. Mr. Flamingo wanted to cut a deal, so I went down to Gotham and had a chat with him at Arkham. He told me Damien Darhk hired him.”

“Like Deadshot,” Diggle added.

“Yes. A competitor sold guns to a Kenyan warlord, who was blocking any passage through this village. He told Flamingo to murder the competitor for encroaching on H.I.V.E.’s turf, the warlord for purchasing from the competitor and then the entire village. Ask me why.”

“Why?” Diggle asked stunned.

“He wanted the road. Two-hundred people dead for a stretch of dirt, all because Darhk doesn’t negotiate. You see, John, men like Eduardo Flamingo may be demons, but Damien Darhk is the devil. Baudelaire once said, “The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he doesn’t exist.” If I learned anything from my investigation into H.I.V.E…. it’s that Darhk knows how to disappear. So, watch your back.”

Penelope began walking toward the exit of the abandoned chemical company. She paused and added, "Flamingo never made it to trial.”

“Who killed him?”

“His psychiatrist. Dr. Harleen Quinzel.”

Diggle shook his head and said, “I’m familiar with her… work. Seems Darhk likes others to handle his dirty work.”

Penelope nodded, “That’s what the devil does you know.”

“What?”

“He brings out the evil in you,” Penelope replied ominously.

“Keep your head on a swivel, Ms. Lord,” Diggle advised cautiously.

Penelope smiled at him and flipped up her hood, “Always do. And John? Call me Penelope.”

With that she disappeared into the night. For a moment, Diggle absorbed everything he just learned. It was as if he’d been looking at Andy through a smudged mirror, but it was now wiped clean. Diggle picked up his phone and immediately hovered over the contact’s name.

_Felicity Smoak._

He spoke with Felicity at least once a week. They’d discuss Sara, Lyla and the team. He’d ask about her job and Coast City… and Oliver. She kept it general, and then they’d move to other topics. She respected Diggle was still angry with Oliver, and he respected Oliver was her choice.

The bottom line, however, was Oliver and Felicity were out. Calling Felicity to look at Andy’s code meant pulling her into his H.I.V.E. investigation. The truth was Diggle had no idea how deep the rabbit hole went. No, he couldn’t call Felicity. Not this time.

Diggle scrolled back up his phone and selected another name. Immediately, the other end picked up.

“Cisco, it’s John Diggle… I need a favor.”

_***Hunger by Ross Cooperman_

Oliver and Felicity stumbled up the stairs as they groped one another. Felicity reached into her purse to pull out the keys, but was completely distracted as Oliver began to kiss her neck.

“Ol - Oliv- Oliver! Stop… we’ll never get in the house at this rate,” Felicity murmured as Oliver ran his lips down to her bare shoulder.

With some difficulty, Felicity managed to unlock the front door. Just as she was about to walk inside, she felt Oliver’s hand on her arm yanking her back to him. Oliver scooped her up into his arms as Felicity laughed with delight.

“You’re suppose to carry me across the threshold after we get married,” she teased as Oliver carried her to their bedroom.

“I’m practicing,” Oliver answered, a smile playing on his lips.

The idea of committing himself to one person for the rest of his life never occurred to Oliver until Felicity. Before the island, he couldn’t be faithful to anyone, let alone consider forever with someone. After the island, he remained monogamous while he was with someone, but he was always missing something.  He didn’t know it was possible to love someone this much. He didn’t know a love like this existed.

From the beginning, it was different with her. The attraction was immediate to be sure. The glint of sunlight in her hair; the fullness of her lips encircled around the red pen; the faint lines of her body beneath the pink shirt; the way her bright, blue eyes drilled into him. Calculating, thoughtful, but immensely kind.

Even so, it was more to Oliver than the way her legs looked in a skirt, although that certainly didn’t go unnoticed. It was her. The way she spoke and how her mind worked both amused and fascinated him. Her obvious goodness softened him. Her perceptiveness impressed him. It wasn’t that she saw through him. It was that she saw him. Felicity always saw who Oliver was even if he couldn’t see it for himself.  

Yet, there was something unattainable about Felicity. He was drawn to her light like a magnet, but the fear of tainting her with his overwhelming darkness equally repelled him. The idea of losing her because of the life he led, like he lost so many others, terrified him. It was easier being alone. So, he kept her at a safe distance: a grasp of her hand,  a simple shoulder touch,  a brief hug. It was all he allowed himself. Mere moments. Fractional seconds. Oliver told himself as long as she was in his orbit, it was enough. It had to be enough.

No matter how Oliver ignored them, however, or how much he tried to push them away, the feelings he had for Felicity grew. The love he felt finally overwhelmed even the darkest parts of him. Still, happiness in any real way seemed like an unattainable dream. Once he admitted the truth to himself, he couldn’t fathom being with anyone else.  It was a devotion unlike any he experienced before. The simple act of loving her sustained him. The  _wanting_ was simply something he learned to live with.

Until Nanda Parbat. Part of the reason he pushed her away was because he didn’t believe he deserved her love. Yet, after she uttered “I love you” for the first time, it suddenly didn’t matter whether he deserved her love. All that mattered was that she did indeed love him. His resolve melted away. He needed to touch her, to hold her, to feel her skin… just once. The madness of their world faded away as he lost himself in Felicity. As he felt her beneath him, surrounding him, Oliver knew with certainty… once would never been enough.

Six months later, the wanting hadn’t subsided. As each day passed, it grew more and more powerful. In Nanda Parbat, making love was new and unknown and urgent, but Oliver preferred the way it was now. He had never lived with a woman before. It created an intense intimacy Oliver had never experienced before and quite enjoyed. It was like they had their own secret language, a series of nonverbal cues creating an intricate dance between them: the way Felicity rested her head against Oliver’s chest, knowing he needed to hold her before he could fall asleep; a look across a restaurant table; grazing his lips against her shoulder and her hips turning slightly in response; silently reaching for him by lightly running her fingers against the scar from Ra’s sword, laying claim to what was once taken from her; making love like a reaffirmation of life. It was a dance they’d only begun and one he knew they’d take a lifetime perfecting.

Now, he knew her body. He knew how long to tease her. Felicity tensed. The pressure mounted as Oliver trailed his tongue down the length of her body. He knew how to make her moan. Oliver skated across her breasts, pausing long enough so Felicity writhed underneath his hands. He enjoyed the challenge of the undiscovered. Oliver lifted Felicity off the bed, letting her legs to wrap around him before he slipped inside her. Gathering her curls between his fingers, he yanked back firmly, snapping her head back to expose her neck. He kissed her throat while pushing on the small of her back, arching her further as he drove in deeper. As she cried out, he knew it had the intended effect.

Felicity pushed Oliver onto his back, running her hands over his chest, as she rolled her hips into him. Oliver relished the helplessness as Felicity controlled the pace and intensity. As her pace quickened, Oliver kept his hands firmly at her hips, never allowing her any reprieve. Until finally, she cried out his name as the release flooded over her like a rushing ocean wave. Rolling on top, their bodies moved in perfect unison as Oliver drove against Felicity, but only when she whispered “I love you” did Oliver lose himself in her once again.

As they laid naked and entangled in one another, Felicity’s hand rested against Oliver chest. The warmth of his body mixed with the coldness of the ring. As Felicity drifted off to sleep, the security in his future with her blurred the past into a distant other life. The only life that mattered was the one Oliver shared with his future… wife.

_***When You Open Your Eyes by Sam Palladio and Clare Bowen_

Oliver awoke to Felicity’s head still resting on his chest, but her left hand was slightly raised… staring at her ring.

“How long have you been awake?” Oliver whispered.

Felicity eyes never left the ring. She sighed happily as she said, “Awhile.”

Oliver chuckled as he sat up in bed a bit and waited as Felicity readjusted to his new position. When she was comfortably leaning against him, she poked Oliver playfully and said, “Hey… check this out.”

She wiggled her finger so the ring hit the sunlight at just the right angle. A kaleidoscope of colors exploded off the ring, sending hundreds of tiny shards of rainbow-colored light spilling across of their bedspread. As Felicity waved her fingers, the light waved in response, mirroring her actions. They stared at the light and the ring in a contented silence for a long time.

Oliver kissed Felicity on the forehead and said, “I should make coffee.”

Felicity nodded in agreement, “You should, but you can’t. We broke the coffee maker during our sexapades. Remember?”

“Yes,” Oliver said as he closed his eyes. “Totally worth it,” as he kissed Felicity.

Felicity laughed, and she returned his kiss. “Agreed, but I’ll go through withdrawal soon.”

Oliver nodded and sat up in bed. He slipped on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.

“I’ll go to the coffee shop. I’ll be back in 20 minutes.”

“I’ll come with you,” Felicity said as she sat up in bed. Oliver sat next to her and gently kissed her.

“Stay,” Oliver whispered softly.  

“Are you sure?”

Oliver nodded slowly, and they kissed a little while longer. As Oliver pulled away, Felicity tilted her head thoughtfully and asked, “Will you still feed my caffeine addiction even when I’m old and gray?”

“Yes,” Oliver answered confidently.

Felicity crossed her arms unconvinced and asked, “Even when I’m wrinkly and three inches shorter?”

Oliver furrowed his brow, “Shorter?”

“My grandma shrunk,” Felicity answered matter of factly.

“She probably drank too much coffee,” Oliver teased. Felicity playfully shoved him as he laughed. Then he grew quiet and stared at Felicity. He cupped his hand against her cheek and Felicity leaned against it. “All I’ll see when you are wrinkly and short is the way you look this morning.”

Felicity leaned over and kissed Oliver softly in response as he wrapped his arm around her bare back.

_***Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) by Marilyn Manson_

Oliver stood up to leave, but paused in the door frame. He turned to look at Felicity. She was flopped onto her stomach, using a pillow to prop herself up. She rested her head comfortably across her folded arms, golden curls spilling all around her shoulders.

“Hey,” Oliver called out gently.

Felicity glanced up at him expectantly.

“You make me really happy,” Oliver said suddenly as if overwhelmed by the feeling.

A small, soft smile broke out across Felicity’s face. She silently mouthed “I love you”.  Oliver backed out of the room until Felicity was no longer in view.

As she waited for Oliver’s return, Felicity lazily twirled a blond ringlet around her finger. The bedroom was a mess from last night. Their clothes scattered all over the room in their mad rush to make love. Felicity saw Oliver’s wallet peeking out from under his shirt on the floor. She rolled her eyes and started to laugh. It must have fallen out of his back pocket. She reached down and grabbed his blue button-down. She slipped it on and buttoned it quickly. If she hurried maybe she could reach him before he arrived at the coffee shop. Felicity picked up the wallet and found her cell phone on the night stand. She called Oliver’s cell, but as it began to ring she heard the faint echo of the ring downstairs. Oliver’s voicemail picked up.

“Hey… you forgot your wallet,” Felicity explained as she headed downstairs, “and apparently your cell phone because I could hear it ringing in the house.” Felicity searched the family room then kitchen but to no avail. “Not that I can find it.” She shook her head ruefully and said, “I figured I had until you were old and gray before this stuff happened but I-”

The hand came from nowhere. The skin was hot and sticky from sweat as it covered her mouth. She felt another hand wrap around her waist like a vice grip and lift her into the air. The motion knocked the phone from her hand, sending it sliding across the kitchen floor. Instinctively, Felicity bit down on the hand until the metallic taste of blood swirled against her teeth and tongue. A voice, male, cried out in pain, but he still kept one arm around her waist. Felicity brought her heel down hard and elbowed her attacker in the diaphragm, just as Diggle taught her. She felt the hand slip from her waist. She was finally free, but he recovered quickly. As she ran towards the kitchen, she felt a hand around her arm, yanking her back. She whirled around and delivered a hard, right cross. It knocked the attacker back several feet.

Instantly, Felicity felt another arm around her waist. Only this time she was tossed like a rag doll across the kitchen table. She rolled off the table and landed hard on the tile. It knocked the wind out of her. She used the counter to pull herself up, and for the first time, looked at her attacker. Her heart sank immediately.

Two. There were two. Two men the size of Diggle were standing in her kitchen awaiting her next move. She could fight one, maybe…but two? No.

The first attacker, still grimacing from her right cross, flanked Felicity on her left, while the other blocked her path to the right. She was trapped. Felicity couldn’t see her phone. She had no idea where it went, but then realized she didn’t need to reach the phone to call out to Oliver. Taking a deep breath, Felicity began to shout in a clear voice.

“Two men! Caucasian! Both over 6 feet! One with black hair… the other blond.”

The two men froze. Their bewilderment turning into rage as they realized what Felicity was doing. The first attacker lunged at Felicity, but she launched herself over the table and made it past him. The second attacker, however, was ready for her. He struck her across the cheek so hard Felicity thought she saw God. She hit the floor and spat out blood. She couldn’t stand, but she could still yell.

“Left handed!”

The second attacker reached down and picked Felicity up by the throat. She clawed at him and tore his t-shirt in the process. Immediately, she saw the edges of black ink on his left chest, but she couldn’t make out what it was. She strained against his grasp of her throat, screaming out a hoarse, “Tattoo! Left…chest!”

Felicity’s voice cracked as the second attacker tightened his grip. Her continued descriptions only served to anger him more. He whirled her around, slamming her against a mirror on the wall so hard it shattered. Felicity felt warm, wet blood dripping down her arm. The shards of glass pressed against her head and back. She frantically pulled at her attacker’s arm, but he was strong… too strong. Felicity continued to claw at him, but he easily deflected her. Her hand pulled against his shirt more, ripping it further. The tattoo was completely visible now. It was familiar. Very familiar.

She wanted to scream, but when she opened her mouth nothing came out.  Her breaths became painful gasps, like a dying animal. There was no air. She needed air.

He was choking her to death.

The black spots were small at first, but with each passing second, they grew larger. Then it was flashes of red mixed with white. Then…Oliver. Oliver kneeling before her, ring in hand. Kissing her as she said yes.

_Is this what he felt on the mountain? Is this what it’s like? Is this dying?_

Her mind screamed his name, but her mouth remained silent. She wanted to tell Oliver her last thoughts were of him – to kiss him one more time – but there was no air. Felicity struggled weakly one last time. It didn’t matter. The end came anyway.

_I love you._

The black overwhelmed the flashes and obliterated Oliver from the deepest parts of her mind. Then…nothing.

Oliver pulled into the driveway. He already ordered the coffee when he realized he forgot his wallet. Luckily, the coffee shop owner was a regular at the Bucket. He told Oliver the coffee was on the house if the next round was on him.

The minute Oliver exited the car he froze. Something was wrong. The hair on his arms stood on edge, while a shiver went down his spine. A sickening feeling washed over him as the survival instincts he honed over eight years kicked into high gear. He hurried up the steps, but when he reached the door, he slowed down. Cautious. Careful. Methodical. He surveyed the door and couldn’t see any damage. It was just as he left it. He turned the handle. The fact the door swung open easily, despite the fact that he had locked it, didn’t surprise Oliver. What he found when he entered the house, however, did surprise him. It horrified him.

The beach home was trashed from an apparent struggle. Oliver dropped the coffees and ran upstairs calling Felicity’s name. He searched the house, calling her name over and over, but it was useless. Felicity was gone.

Oliver saw his phone sitting on the front hall table. It was buzzing from a new voicemail. He picked it up and saw the last call was from Felicity. He anxiously played the message. The horror of the house’s appearance was just the pre-show. This was the main event. The message was the nightmare. Oliver closed his eyes in dread as he listened to his fiancée fight for her life. As the message came to end, Oliver’s head snapped up in recognition. His face filled with an unraveling rage. Oliver clenched the cell phone and raced upstairs. He grabbed a bag and threw a change of clothes in it. He frantically began searching for his passport. The panic grew stronger with each passing second. There. Found it.

Oliver raced downstairs without giving the house a second glance as he went to the garage. He revved the bike to life and tore off at top speed. Felicity was alive, but not for long. Even if he arrived in time, Oliver doubted they would negotiate. If they wanted Oliver dead, he’d be dead.

Death wasn’t the point. Pain was, and nobody did pain like the Bratva.

_***Stand By Me by Ki: Theory_

Felicity woke to blackness. Air returned to her lungs, and she breathed it in greedily. Her heart pounded against her chest. She didn’t feel dead, but then again, she didn’t have anything to compare it to. Her breathing was still rapid, but her mind cleared enough to focus. She wiggled her body a bit to ascertain her surroundings. Her arms and legs were bound, but she was sitting on something soft and bouncy. A couch? She could feel the cloth against her eyes now. Blindfolded. Not dead. Just kidnapped.

 _See? There’s always an upside._  Felicity thought to herself as she listened to the voices around her. There were three now. All male. All speaking Russian.

 _Bratva!!!_  That was the word she wanted to scream before she blacked out, although it seemed rather pointless now. Hopefully, her descriptions were enough. Even if they weren't… Oliver would find her. That singular certainty filled her with calm. Felicity’s breathing and heart rate slowed. She remembered two attackers, but not a third. Was it their leader? It didn’t sound like Anatoly Knyazev.

All at once, Felicity was blinded by a bright light as the blindfold was removed. She blinked rapidly, her eyes adjusting to the light. She was on a couch, sitting in the middle of a very large and lavish hotel suite. Her attackers came into focus, and Felicity tensed. The third man stepped in front of them. He was holding her blindfold. The man was tall in stature, but a very weak build. He was so slender a strong wind could knock him over. It wasn’t Anatoly, but he looked familiar.

“Ms. Smoak. I apologize for any ill treatment. It was certainly not our intent.”

“Not your intent? You kidnapped me! Who the hell are you? What do you want?” Felicity shouted angrily back.

“Excuse me. Where are my manners? Honestly, it’s been so long I feel as if I already know you. My name is Cameron Kane.”

 _Cameron Kane_. Diggle’s brother was guarding Cameron Kane’s son when he was shot. She spent hours researching the Kane family with Diggle. She would’ve known if he was Bratva.  _What the hell was this?_  Felicity thought as the fear began to creep back in.

“As for what we want, well… my employer is more suited to answer that question,” Kane answered, his tone proper but gentle.

A security guard opened the door and asked Kane, “Clear?”

Kane nodded in affirmation and looked at Felicity excitedly, “Mr. Darhk will see you now, Felicity.”

Felicity shook her head in confusion, “Darhk? You mean… Damien Darhk?”

A man in a crisp and expensive black suit, white dress shirt and blood-red tie entered the room. He was tall with a toned and muscular body. The shock of white blond hair working in combination with his muscular build made him an imposing man. Yet, it was his ice-cold eyes that elicited fear. Despite their sky-blue color, they emanated little light.

“Yes, Damien Darhk. Although, you know me as Dad,” Damien answered matter of flatly.

Felicity’s eyes widened in surprise as she stared at Damien. As the shock overtook her, she stammered, “No… no no no. No, it’s not possible. My father… my father is Elijah Smoak. He’s a computer programmer…a…a…”

“A hacker? Yes. You’ll come to find, Felicity, I am many things. Most notably, I’m a man with many names,” Damien explained as he stood in front of Felicity. With his arms clasped behind him, Damien looked Felicity up and down, examining her. He motioned to Kane.

“The cut?”

“Yes, I was just discussing the injuries with Mr. Glazkov and Mr. Yozhin,” Kane explained.

“I see… and what were their explanations?” Damien asked, his voice flat and emotionless, his eyes never leaving Felicity.

The first attacker, Mr. Yozhin answered in a heavy Russian accent, “She struggled.”

“We want our money,” Mr. Glazkov, the second attacker demanded.

“Mr. Darhk specifically requested the package be delivered without… damage,” Kane argued.

“It seems you underestimated my daughter, Mr. Yozhin,” Damien responded with an air of pride.

“It’s a scratch. You pay us our money in full,” Yozhin spat back angrily.

“Do not forget we are Bratva, Darhk. You do not want us for enemy,” Glazkov added, his voice confident and cool.

Damien ignored him and knelt before Felicity. Marked in red lines across her neck was Glazkov’s handprint. Damien reached to touch her neck, but Felicity recoiled. Damien pulled back his hand and considered his daughter thoughtfully.

“You are safe with me, Felicity. No harm will ever come to you. I promise,” Damien said softly but emphatically.

“I don’t know who you are,” Felicity answered through clenched teeth, her eyes brimming with tears.

Damien nodded calmly and said, “I see. Well… perhaps a demonstration is necessary.”

Darhk stood up rapidly and pulled a gun from his breast pocket. He whirled around and shot Glazkov and Yozhin in the head. The blood spattered across Felicity’s shirt and face as she screamed in horror. Kane calmly handed Damien a handkerchief, and he wiped the blood from his face.

“I keep my promises. You were to be delivered to me without harm. Perhaps that’s expecting a bit much from Bratva thugs, but finding good help is difficult these days.”

“You’re a monster,” Felicity hissed back, her body shaking.

“No. I’m your father,” Damien answered coolly, “and I will do whatever is necessary to protect you.”

“I don’t need your protection.”

“Why? Because you’re dating The Arrow?” Damien asked.

Felicity’s eyes widened in surprise, “What?”

Damien turned to Felicity and smiled menacingly, “Oh… you think I don’t know about your boyfriend? You’ll quickly discover there’s nothing I don’t know about your life.”

Felicity laughed, the sound cold and hollow, and said, “Except for the fact he’s not my boyfriend. He’s my fiancé.”

Damien squinted his eyes in confusion and looked to Kane. Kane stepped forward and untied Felicity. She held up her hand, her ring glittering in the sunlight. Darhk swallowed hard, visibly displeased.

“Then it’s good I acted. It’s better for you to lose him now than be left a widow,” Damien said.

Felicity’s eyes widened in surprise, “What are you talking about?”

“Right now, your fiancé believes Alexi Leonov ordered your kidnapping. He’s about to pick a fight with the Bratva. With any luck, he’ll be dead by the end of day.”

“He’s not that easy to kill,” Felicity argued confidently. “He’ll find me.”

“Even if he lives, whatever time the diversion costs him is mine to gain. I’m taking you far, far away.  He won’t find you. Nobody will,” Damien said softly as he knelt before Felicity and stroked her cheek. Felicity shuddered at his touch. She felt a sharp pinch in her neck as Kane plunged a syringe in her neck. Felicity felt a flush of warmth, then immediately felt woozy.

“Why are you doing this?” Felicity asked tearfully, fighting the drowsy feeling overtaking her body.

Damien wiped the tear from her face and whispered, “Think of this as a family reunion. It’s time for us to be together, Felicity. I made the world safe for you… for us.”

The blackness came again, and Felicity slumped over on the couch as she drifted to sleep. Damien stood and motioned towards the dead bodies.

“Send those to Alexi. Let him know this is what happens when anyone fails to follow my instructions,” Damien ordered tersely.

Kane nodded and answered, “Yes, sir. Consider it done.”

Damien knelt again next to Felicity and stroked her cheek. He stared at the ring on her finger and shook his head in disgust.

“I’m sorry, sir. I should have known about the engagement. It must have happened within the last 48 hours,” Kane said.

Damien waved him off and answered, “It’s fine Kane. It was an unanticipated development but certainly one we can adapt to.”

“And if he survives the Bratva? What of it then?” Kane asked.

“If the Bratva fails to kill Oliver Queen, then I’ll simply do it myself,” Damien explained pragmatically.

He gently brushed a tendril of hair out of Felicity’s face, but then lowered his voice into a deep and threatening tone and said, “No child of mine is marrying Al Sah-him.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BOLD: Contest Winners. I held polls on my blog that allowed readers to choose certain aspects in the story - from songs to wedding selections. Contest winners are revealed in their first appearance in the story. All contest winners will be published in the final chapter.
> 
> ***Songs I listened to while writing the scene.
> 
> The story is finished. I am posting chapters as my editor finishes edits. 12 Chapters total. 175 pages.

_***God’s Gonna Cut You Down by Johnny Cash_

Fifteen hours later Oliver arrived in Moscow and went directly to Anatoly’s club. If Alexi Leonov had Felicity then the only way to get her back in one piece was through Anatoly. Despite the late hour, the club was empty. Oliver entered cautiously. Anatoly sat alone in a booth in the back. Oliver felt a gun at the back of his head. He raised his hands slowly. A Bratva member frisked Oliver. When he couldn’t find a weapon him, he nodded towards Anatoly in confirmation. Oliver whirled around and delivered a crushing blow to the Bratva guard’s abdomen. He fell to his knees, and Oliver bent his wrist back, so the gun fell from his hand to Oliver’s. Then Oliver quickly dismantled it.

“I warned him you were going to do that,” Anatoly said amused. He stood from the booth, opened his arms and shouted joyfully, “Oliver! My American friend! I am glad you came.”

Oliver eyes him warily, “I don’t have time for games, Anatoly. Where is she?”

Anatoly approached Oliver and regarded him carefully. He kissed Oliver on both cheeks before saying, “No games old friend… but first we drink. Come.”

Anatoly led Oliver back to the booth where two glasses of vodka waited for him. Anatoly raised the glass and said, “прочность.”

“прочность,” Oliver repeated before tossing back the vodka.

Anatoly laughed in joy and said, “It is good you came, Oliver. I knew you would trust your old friend.”

“Trust? This isn’t about trust, Anatoly. I came to offer myself in her place,” Oliver explained.

“Oliver… I did not take your woman. You think me capable of such a thing?”

“You’re capable of much worse, Anatoly, and you know it. A move against a Bratva captain can only come from you,” Oliver answered tersely.

“People have minds of their own, Oliver, ” Anatoly explained, his tone growing serious.

“Nothing happens in this organization without you knowing about it.”

“This is true. Alexi told me what happened. He said you were no longer Bratva. Did you say this?”

“Yes,” Oliver answered firmly.

Anatoly poured another drink and tossed it back. He stood from the booth and commanded, “Come.”

Oliver followed him obediently to the back of the club, and Anatoly opened the door to his office. Oliver entered it and stopped in his tracks. Alexi Leonov was tied up in a chair, beaten to a pulp. Blood dripped profusely from several wounds all over his body. His face was black and blue and covered in welts. It was clear he had been tortured.

Anatoly stepped in front of Oliver and pulled down his shirt. He pushed his finger into Oliver’s Bratva tattoo and asked firmly, “Does your heart beat under the mark of the Bratva?”

“Yes,” Oliver answered.

“Are you still alive?”

“Yes.”

“Then you are still Bratva,” Anatoly said emphatically. “I care not for what Leonov says… or what you say. You saved my life, Oliver Queen. You are Bratva until you are dead. And even then… you are still my friend. Understood?”

Oliver nodded silently, and Anatoly slapped him on the back, “Good. Now… let’s find your woman.”

“Has he told you anything?”

“Some… with a fair amount of screaming. I had to close the club for the night. He was too loud. You were always such a woman, Alexi,” Anatoly quipped. Alexi simply spat blood out of his mouth in response. Anatoly shrugged nonchalantly, “He was never much for conversation. I could never understand why my father liked him.”

“Because your father knew what true Bratva was. He’d be ashamed of this imposter,” Alexi sneered.

Anatoly rolled his eyes, “My father drank diluted vodka. My father was an idiot.”

“You are weak, Anatoly. You fail to do what is necessary. You weaken the Bratva with your very existence!” Alexi shouted.

Anatoly stuffed a cloth in Alexi’s mouth and said, “Silence from you is better I think. Perhaps I should have started with your tongue.”

“Anatoly!” Oliver interjected impatiently. “I’m on a bit of a clock here.”

“Oh, certainly old friend. Certainly. Love waits for no one. My apologies. Someone hired Leonov to take your woman.”

“Who?”

“This part I don’t know. It took ten hours of torture just to discover he doesn’t like you… and I already knew he didn’t like you,” Anatoly shrugged. He motioned to the two other Bratva members standing next to Alexi, “They lack your talent old friend.”

“I don’t do that anymore,” Oliver answered quietly.

“I see. Perhaps this will change your mind,” Anatoly motioned to one of the Bratva and he brought forward a box stained in blood. “As you say old friend, nothing happens in my organization without my knowledge. When I discovered Alexi made a move against a Bratva captain without my order… I sent for him. My men came back with Alexi and a gift.”

Oliver opened the box and stared at it in a stony silence. Two severed heads, Yozhin and Glazko, were inside.

“It seems the exchange did not go well. The heads are a warning to all Bratva,” Anatoly mused. “I do not know who has your woman, Oliver, but I would do what is necessary to secure her freedom from this animal.”

“I need a bow and some arrows,” Oliver answered menacingly.

Anatoly snapped his fingers and one of the Bratva left the room to collect the weapon. Anatoly knelt before Alexi.

“Alexi, you are about to experience something… how you say… other worldly. Oliver can inflict pain like no other man,” He motioned to Oliver prepping the bow and arrow. “You see the arrow? Such accurate aim. So precise. He can find nerves you didn’t know existed. The pain is excruciating my friend. He is truly a wonder.”

Alexi considered this for a moment and motioned for Anatoly to remove the cloth. Anatoly complied. Alexi looked at Oliver with disdain and spat on the floor as his response. Oliver gritted his teeth and released the arrow. It implanted deep into Lenov’s leg. He screamed in pain. Oliver knelt beside him.

“Where is she?” Oliver asked softly, an eerie calm in his voice. When Alexi didn’t answer, Oliver gripped the arrow and twisted it clockwise. As skin, muscle and tendon tore under the strain, Alexi screamed. The wound grew in size and started bleeding profusely.

“The next goes in your femoral artery. I will alternate between twisting the arrow and cauterizing the wound so you bleed out…slowly,” Oliver threatened menacingly.

Anatoly shivered, “Inventive, my friend. Truly.”

Alexi sighed, completely exhausted, and looked up as Oliver aimed another arrow at him, “Alright. I will tell you the only thing I know.”

“Who took her?” Oliver demanded angrily.

“I said I would tell you what I know. Yozhin and Glazko were to deliver the woman… unharmed. Their severed heads mean they didn’t comply,” Alexi began to cackle, and Oliver felt like he was going to throw up.

“You really don’t want to make him angrier, Leonov. Believe me, my friend,” Anatoly warned, keeping a wary eye on Oliver.  

“Why? You’re going to kill me anyway, Anatoly. We both know that,” Alexi argued.

“This is true, but consider how to spend your last moments on earth, old man,” Anatoly advised.

Oliver pulled back the bow and aimed it at Alexi. The image of the arrow and the impending pain was enough to silence Alexi’s laughter. He fidgeted as he grew more nervous. Oliver didn’t flinch as he held the bow steady, slowly moving the arrow up and down Alexi’s body as if searching for the perfect target to inflict maximum pain.

“Alright. Alright! I’ll tell you. I never knew his name or saw his face. Every communication, however, referenced a project code… YHWH,” Alexi explained, speaking rapidly.

Oliver let the arrow fly and it landed just above Alexi’s knee. He howled in pain and screamed, “I told you the truth! I told you everything I know!”

“I know,” Oliver said flatly, his voice low and deep. The Arrow’s voice returned to Oliver as naturally as breathing. He handed the bow back to one of the Bratva men and looked at Anatoly. “Thank you, Anatoly, for your help.”

“Of course, my friend, of course. It is your right to do the honors. She is, after all, your beloved,” Anatoly held out a gun to Oliver but he shook his head no. “May I ask why not?”

“She wouldn’t want me to,” Oliver answered softly.

“I see. Well, luckily, I made no such promises,” Anatoly said and immediately fired three bullets dead-center into Alexi’s chest as Oliver walked away.

Failing to find Felicity with the Bratva gave Oliver little comfort. His mind was swimming with potential suspects, but he couldn’t think straight. All he could see was the trashed beach home, shattered glass and blood on the floor. All he could hear was Alexi’s laughter. She was hurt, but he had no idea how badly. She was gone, but he had no idea where to look. In the din of the chaos swirling in Oliver’s mind, he heard Felicity’s voice, loud and clear.

_“Right now, you need people to help you. You need to let them.”_

Oliver looked at his phone. There was only other person who knew him as well as Felicity. Someone who knew Oliver’s enemies backwards and forwards. Someone who would go to the ends of the earth to find her. Someone who wouldn’t want to hear from him. Oliver hesitated for a brief second, but then hit the speed dial. It picked up on the second ring.

“Diggle…it’s Oliver.”

_***We Gotta Get Out Of This Place by Denmark + Winter_

Felicity awoke in her apartment in Starling City. Wait… no that wasn’t right. She gave up her apartment when she left town with Oliver. Her head was throbbing, and she was still groggy. Felicity sat up on her purple couch and massaged her temple, trying to will away the quickly developing migraine. She blinked rapidly trying to clear her vision. Her glasses sat on the coffee table next to her. Felicity inspected them before slipping them on her face. No, these weren’t her glasses. Her glasses had a tiny scratch on the inside frame from when she crashed through a Queen Consolidated window with Oliver. This pair was missing the scratch. It was just a replica of her set. Felicity slipped the glasses on and could see clearly. An exact replica.

She stood and began to inspect the apartment. Everything from the walls to the floors was identical save for one important feature:  no windows. Felicity tried to open the door, but it was locked from the outside. No dead bolt. It must be some electronic entry system. She was trapped.

Felicity shuffled into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. It was fully stocked filled with all her preferred brands. Same with the cabinets. A wave of nausea overwhelmed her for a moment, and Felicity grabbed the kitchen counter to steady herself. Her body was beginning to ache from the morning’s fight. Was it still the morning? She couldn’t tell.

Felicity wandered into the bathroom and studied herself in the mirror. A bruise was forming on her cheek from where her attacker struck her. She was still dressed in Oliver’s blue button-down shirt, but it was splattered in blood from her father’s demonstration. Felicity winced and lifted up the shirt. Another large bruise was forming on her ribs.

 _Probably from being tossed like a rag doll_ , she mused. Seeing as she was a prisoner in her not apartment, a hot shower sounded incredibly appealing. Felicity stripped quickly and let the hot water stream over her body until she felt her muscles relaxed. A sob rose in her throat, but Felicity swallowed it back. She had to keep calm.

After she toweled off, Felicity went to her closet. It was filled with identical clothes: an exact replica of her wardrobe prior to leaving with Oliver.

 _Because this wasn’t freaky enough_ , Felicity thought, as she chose a pair of pants and a blue sleeveless blouse. She swept her hair into her signature ponytail and instantly felt more like herself. Felicity surveyed the shoe options, skipping her sky high heels for something more sensible. S _omething she could run in_ , she thought as she slipped on a pair a boots.  A knock at the door started her.

Damien entered without waiting for Felicity’s approval. For a moment, he simply stared at her as if in a trance. It lasted for awhile and Felicity immediately felt self conscious.

“What?” she asked glancing down at herself.

“Nothing. I assume you found everything to your liking?” Damien asked, a twinkle in his eyes.

Felicity folded her arms and said, “If the goal was to creep me out further - mission accomplished.”

“I thought you would live more off the grid,” Damien chastised.

“Yeah, well I didn’t think anyone was watching me,” Felicity shot back.

“Someone is always watching, Felicity,” Damien answered cryptically.

“I’m supposed to be impressed you hacked my credit-card statements?”

“No. I just want you to be comfortable in your new home,” Damien explained.

“This isn’t my home. Buying the same furniture and clothes doesn’t make it my home. You can’t replicate the things that matter,” Felicity said.

_***You Are A Memory by Message To Bears_

Damien silently stood and walked to the desk. He opened the drawer and pulled out a photograph, handing it to Felicity.

“Do you remember this?” Damien asked softly.

It was a faded photo of Felicity. She was five… maybe six. She was dressed in a yellow sundress, hair in pigtails and her eyes clamped shut as water showered down on her. One hand stretched to the sky as she was twirled, the other holding tightly to an adult hand, just out of the shot. She was laughing.

Damien continued, “It was the only photo I had of the two of us. I destroyed the rest… for obvious security reasons. You loved to twirl…“

“I don’t remember,” Felicity interrupted flatly.

Damien, trying to jog her memory, added, “You were six. It was our last day together…”

“I said I don’t remember,” Felicity said more forcefully.

Damien studied her closely and Felicity met his gaze. Seemingly switching tactics Damien said, “I regret our initial introduction, Felicity.”

“Yeah, I’m sure the men you killed regret it too,” Felicity retorted.

Damien sighed, exasperated, and said, “The sooner you realize I have something you want Felicity, the easier this will become.”

“What could I possibly want from you?” Felicity asked coldly.

“Answers,” Damien replied softly. “I’ve waited twenty years to tell you… everything.”

“Fine. Let’s start with this - who the hell are you? Is Damien Dark your real name?” Felicity asked tensely.

Damien sat down on Felicity’s couch and answered, “What makes a name real? I’ve had many names, each of them as real as the last,” Damien answered. “Damien Darhk was given to me by Ra’s Al Ghul. Not the man you know as Ra’s, but the one before him. I did not know my parents. They were either dead or abandoned me. It doesn’t particularly matter which. I was alone. I stayed for a time with a woman and her husband. The woman was kind, but her husband beat me. So, I left. For as long as I can remember, I was a beggar on the street, stealing food or clothing, anything I needed for my survival. I had a talent for disappearing in the shadows. I think he chose the name because it amused him.”

“Why?”

“Damien means to tame. We all have a devil inside us Felicity, a darkness, and Ra’s intended to tame mine. He plucked me right from the street, brought me to the League and trained me. ”

“Wait. This mean means you’re… you’re over a hundred years old!” Felicity stammered.

“Yes,” Damien answered.

“And the freaky keeps on coming,” Felicity muttered.

“I look good though, don’t I?” Damien smiled, his eyes twinkling. Off Felicity’s unamused expression, his smiled faded quickly. “I stole some of the Lazarus Pit water when I escaped the League, but my supply is long gone. I haven’t used it in years.”

“So what? The League of Loons wasn’t crazy enough for you?”

“Quite the opposite. I found a home in the League,” Damien answered sadly.

“Ra’s told Oliver you wanted to be…”

“To be Ra’s? Yes, I did. Although not for the reasons you believe. Nor are they reasons Ra’s explained to your beloved,” Damien said.

“Why?”

“The truth has a garish light, my child.”

“Illuminate me.”

“The man you know as Ra’s Al Ghul was my best friend.  We were as close as two could be. We were brothers. Bonded by more than blood, but by choice. We joined the League at the same time. We lived together, ate together, trained together. Our skills nearly identical. Our devotion equally as deep. Basir, however, was chosen as the next Ra’s, not I,” Damien explained.

"Basir?” Felicity asked, confused.

““The man you know as Ra’s Al Ghul once had a name. A name I am certain he forgot long ago, but I have not,” Damien answered bitterly.

“Sounds like you’re still ticked you didn’t get to be Prom King,” Felicity said.

“Ascending to Ra’s was never about a crown, Felicity, or power. I wanted to save my friend from a fate worse than death. Do you know what is required to become Ra’s Al Ghul? You must, since Oliver was heir.”

“Yes, he had to destroy Starling City,” Felicity answered.

“In preparation for ascension, every Ra’s Al Ghul must destroy his homeland. It was no different for me or Basir,” Damien explained. "Basir had a wife and two children he left behind when he joined the League. He loved them desperately, more than his own life. To refuse Ra’s, however, was a death sentence. As he loved them… I loved him. I devised a plan. I challenged Basir in battle for Ra’s. He would lose, thus forcing our predecessor to make me Heir to the Demon. As heir, I would pardon him thus saving both his life and his family’s.”

“What about your homeland? Didn’t their lives matter?” Felicity asked.

“I told you, I was an orphan. The woman was long dead. There was nothing and no one left for me to love. My homeland was the League,” Damien answered.

“And the thousands of dead?” Felicity whispered in horror. “That didn’t matter to you?”

“The League is no different than your United States. Power is built upon the graves of the dead,” Damien answered coldly. “If you believe any nation is exempt from this then you are a fool.”

Felicity fell silent, and Damien continued, “Once I challenged Basir there was no going back. By mid-battle, I realized he had no intention of losing. That’s when I understood…”

“What?”

“How power corrupts absolutely. By defeating me, Basir not only condemned me to death, but his loved ones to as well.”

Damien noticed the shudder of disgust go through Felicity’s body, and he said, “Like I said my child, the truth is a garish light.“

"But you survived… how?” Felicity asked.

“I have a talent for keeping to the shadows even in the sun,” Damien winked at Felicity. “He hesitated. I was able to escape with water from the Lazarus Pit and a few of my brethren, only to be hunted for the next eighty years.”

“Why?”

“Despite my good intentions, my challenge remained. As long as I lived, so did my threat to Basir’s reign as Ra’s Al Ghul. ”

“I don’t understand. Basir or Ra’s – or whatever his name was – knew your intentions. Why would he continue to hunt you after he ascended?” Felicity questioned.

“Because I was a threat. My brother was now my enemy. Basir used my love for him to expel me from the only home I’d ever known.” Damien explained, his voice low and volatile. “I lost many men in the earlier skirmishes. I came to America, but the League’s reach is vast. They found me every time, and every time I barely escaped with my life. Those who followed me were often not as lucky. Ultimately, I was forced to live underground. Cut off from my brethren. Homeless and starving. No better than a rat. Back to where I started. Until…”

“Until?” Felicity prompted.

Damien, lost in a memory, gazed off for a moment before refocusing on Felicity. “May I show you something?” he asked.

Felicity nodded, and Damien walked to the door and opened it. Off Felicity’s surprised look, he said, “I told you. You aren’t a prisoner here.”

_***Landline by Greg Laswell (featuring Ingrid Michaelson)_

Damien led Felicity down a long corridor, bright florescent lights and white tile gave it a clinical look. They reached an elevator and Damien entered, holding the door open for Felicity. As she stepped into the elevator, Felicity noted they were at the basement level going to the second floor. Six floors in total.

Damien stepped out in the corridor of the second floor. It was nearly identical to the basement, except for the windows. A lush green garden surrounded the building. Damien opened another door, and led Felicity out into the garden. It was hot but not muggy. A soft breeze blew, and the fragrant perfume of the flowers mixed in the air. Instantly, Felicity recognized the scent. She walked towards a cluster of flowers and gently touched the white silk petals.

"Your mother loved moonflowers. Does she still? I planted them here, so it felt… familiar…” Damien trailed off when Felicity looked up at him tears glistening in her eyes.

“I don’t understand any of this. I don’t understand how my father is over a hundred years old… an assassin who’s mortal enemies with the assassins of all assassins. I don’t understand how Damien Darhk is…”

“Elijah Smoak?” Damien asked softly and Felicity nodded wordlessly. “It’s not so complicated Felicity. Vegas is a wonderful place to hide. People are so lost in their greed, they don’t see each other. I prefer to be unseen. I counted cards for money. Kept it simple, small pots only. Enough to keep me fed and clothed. Cash only kept me off the grid. ”

“And Mom?” Felicity asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Damien answered, “It’s a simple story. I found myself on a bus one day. A woman gave her seat to an elderly man. I recognized her. She was a waitress at one of the casinos. It was a simple act of kindness, but I made note of it because of her shoes.”

“Her shoes?”

Damien smiled a little and said, “Yes, her shoes. I’d never seen shoes so tall in my life. It was like she was standing on stilts. Her feet must have been killing her and yet she gave up her seat.”

Felicity smiled as she recalled her mother’s penchant for sky high heels, a penchant she passed on to her daughter.

“I was curious, so I rode the same bus at the same time the next day. I watched as your mother gave up her seat again. Only this time, I offered her mine. And then… I did it again the next day.”

“You took a bus just to offer Mom your seat?” Felicity asked incredulously.

Damien shrugged and answered, “Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because she was the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen. ”

“How long did this go on?” Felicity asked.

“Several weeks,” Damien answered. Felicity burst out laughing, and Damien looked almost relieved to hear her laugh. “One day though, your mother refused to sit down. She stood next to me and said, ‘I’d rather know your name than take your seat.’ And…so I told her. Without a thought in my head I told her my name was…”

“Elijah,” Felicity said softly. “Elijah Smoak.”

Damien nodded and smiled softly at Felicity. “Yes.”

“Did you just make it up?”

“No, I should have. But… for some reason I didn’t.”

“I don’t understand. You said you didn’t have a name before Ra’s named you Damien.”

“No, I said no one knew my name. There’s a difference. When you are a starving rat on the street, Felicity, nobody notices anything about you, least of all your name. The woman who cared for me… she called me Elijah.”

“And Smoak?”

“Oh, that I made up. A guy blew some cigarette smoke in my face as I was introducing myself. I started coughing, so I went with it.”

“Seriously? That’s the origin of my last name?”

“Believe me… you fared far better than most going through Ellis Island. Pronunciation wasn’t exactly a priority back then,” Damien said, rolling his eyes. He grew quiet, and he collected his thoughts. “I should have stayed away, but I couldn’t. There was just something about her.”

As her father echoed Oliver’s exact words to her from their first date, Felicity felt a chill go down her spine.

“I realized Ra’s Al Ghul could always find me because I was hiding exactly where he expected, in the shadows, but if I hid where he least expected, in broad daylight, perhaps I had a chance,” Damien shrugged. “As technology progressed, computers were quickly becoming all I needed to hide. The Internet is a vast world of shadows Felicity. Plenty of ways for me to remain hidden in plain sight. Still, it was a huge risk, predicated on wishful thinking, but that’s what love does.”

“What?” Felicity asked.

“Creates false hope,” Damien answered flatly.

“So what changed?”

Damien became quiet, a silence stretching out for what seemed like a lifetime to Felicity. He walked to one of the moonflowers and stroked his finger against the silky petals. When he started to speak again, he did not look at Felicity, as if he was lost in memory.

“I never planned on having children – for obvious reasons – but when your mother told me she was pregnant, I just…” Damien faltered and finally looked at Felicity, giving a helpless shrug of the shoulders. “It’s like a drug you know.”

“What is?” Felicity whispered.

Damien smiled at Felicity sadly, “Happiness. You become addicted to it. So much so, you can no longer think clearly. That’s why we named you Felicity. I wanted to name you Esther, but your mother… she said she’d never seen me so happy,” Damien’s voice cracked a little, but he quickly cleared his throat to cover it up. “She was right. Those six years with you and your mother… they were the happiest of my life.”

“So why did you leave?” Felicity asked.

A darkness shifted through Damien’s eyes as he narrowed them and answered, “Because happiness is fleeting. Delicate like this flower. It’s simply waiting for someone to pick it from the vine and crush it.” Damien clenched his fist, and the flower crumpled in response.  

“It was just a few days after your sixth birthday. Your mother was working, so I took you to the park by our house. Do you remember? The one with the red swings. You could swing for hours. I was pushing you when it suddenly hit me. You are my heir. Someday Ra’s Al Ghul would find me, which meant he would find you.”

“You could have taken us with you…”

“You cannot hide from the League. You can only run from the League. I knew Ra’s was catching up.”

“You hid from him for six years,” Felicity argued.

“A miracle. To this day, I cannot believe I evaded him for so long. More importantly, the risks I took with my life were ones I wasn’t willing to take with yours. The League can find anyone in the world. The most dangerous place for you was by my side. If we were to be together… I had to make the world safe.”

“You keep saying that… what the hell does it mean?” Felicity demanded.

Damien smiled cryptically and said, “A bee was hovering nearby. Anytime it came close to a child that child would run screaming in fear back to his or her parents… but not you. You were fearless. You hopped off the swing and followed the bee to some flowers growing nearby. You studied it and asked me what seemed like a thousand questions. I exhausted my knowledge on honey bees, which wasn’t extensive I assure you. It fascinated you. My Felicity… so smart… so curious. I explained how a worker bee gathered pollen and…” Damien faltered.

“And what?” Felicity prodded.

Damien looked at Felicity and coldly said, “And protected the queen. That was the moment I knew. I knew what I had to do. I took you home. Then I erased any evidence Elijah Smoak ever existed. I stole millions by hacking dozens of wealthy corporations.”

“For what?”

“Seed money. To build an army. The only way to keep you safe from Ra’s Al Ghul was to build an army as powerful as the League. I had to make the world your hive.”

The word “hive” hung in the air, and Felicity felt her pulse quicken.

“Wait. What are you saying?” Felicity asked warily.

_***All The Kings Horses  by Karmina_

“Follow me,” Damien commanded, and he walked back to the building. When they entered the elevator, he hit the top floor. The doors opened to an expansive lobby. Same white walls. Same white tiles. Damien approached a metal door and his eyes were immediately scanned. As the door slid open, he motioned to Felicity to enter.

“After you.”

Cautiously, Felicity entered the room and immediately stifled a gasp. Rows and rows of computers filled the room with agents furiously typing at their stations. Like NASA’s Mission Control, data and maps were displayed on large screens as the agents tracked various targets. Felicity knew immediately the technology was advanced, several years beyond anything available to the general public – maybe even ARGUS – which meant it was black market.

“Welcome to H.I.V.E., Felicity,” Damien said.

Felicity took a step back in horror, shaking her head in disbelief, “Oh my God. You’re a terrorist.”

Damien chuckled, “Hardly. H.I.V.E. is predicated on making the powerless powerful. I have infiltrated nations at their highest level of government – and criminal organizations too – with H.I.V.E. agents to ensure those in power are not blinded by it. I stop the infection of greed and corruption.”

“By what? Killing people?” Felicity exclaimed.

"If necessary. A Kenyan warlord blocked passage through a village, including food trucks. People were starving. Did the American government step in? No. Did the Kenyan government? Only when forced by my H.I.V.E. agents within the government.”

“How?”

“By any means necessary. Bribery, blackmail. As the world has expanded, it has become smaller, more manageable… a world of shadows,” Damien tapped one of the computers. “When the warlord refused negotiations with the Kenyan government, we took the road by force. We provided food to the starving. Did we take lives? Yes, but we saved them as well… the better lives in fact. That’s just one example out of thousands in which H.I.V.E. enacts real change in the world, more than what your Team Arrow could ever dream of. It’s the kind of change you attempted in college with your exquisite virus.”

“That virus was a mistake of mammoth proportions.”

“No. It was a work of art. You simply lacked the will to see it through. You lacked fortitude and training, but I can teach you all of those things. Don’t you see? We think the same, Felicity. We are the same. What I failed to recognize all those years on the run is the world is filled with Ra’s Al Ghuls, and it’s up to us to stop them… to mold the world into what it can be… what it should be… a world free from power and corruption.”

“For twenty years, I wondered what happened to you. Now I know. You saw a bee. Then went crazy,” Felicity said.

“I’m not crazy,” Damien responded.

“Well, crazy people seldom think they are.”

“People called Washington and Jefferson insane. They called them terrorists. People with vision often are. It’s because others cannot see their vision.”

“Bribery, blackmail, murder? That’s your vision?” Felicity asked disgusted. “H.I.V.E. is no different than the very people you claim to abhor.”

"Wrong. H.I.V.E. is freedom – in its purest form – not the kind your America peddles as it stands on the broken backs of the powerless and the forgotten. Soon the world will achieve true freedom.”

“Something tells me your idea of ‘true freedom’ is the same as Kim Jong-un’s.”

"It’s time for you to come home, Felicity. The final phase is upon us. I made the world safe not just for you, but for everyone. I made a world free from power, a world free from Ra’s Al Ghuls,” Damien explained emphatically.

“No,” Felicity said firmly, the anger creeping into her voice.

“Felicity, you are destined to be more than a corporate cog in a wheel. You are meant to be more than just a… wife,” Damien emphasized the word “wife” with disgust. “It’s time for you to take your rightful place by my side. You are my child. My heir. H.I.V.E. is your army…”

“Did you kill Andrew Diggle?” Felicity interrupted. Damien fell silent. “I’ve been waiting for a break in your super-villain monologue to ask you that, but there doesn’t seem to be a break coming. It’s tricky finding a way to ask your father if he killed your best friend’s brother, but I settled on direct… like ripping off a band aid… a really big, bloody, painful band aid. The truth is I can’t focus on anything else, and I really need to. What you’re saying is well… rather terrifying. Whatever is happening on the top left-hand screen over there, by Paraguay, looks particularly concerning, but I can’t focus on your words… or Paraguay… or anything. The only thing I’m thinking about is Diggle and his brother. Funny, you haven’t mentioned Andrew Diggle. Maybe he’s just one in a thousand lives you’ve taken. Or maybe… maybe you didn’t hire Deadshot to kill him. Maybe it was another criminal organization completely unrelated to you. H.O.R.N.E.T. or W.A.S.P. or…”

“Yes. I ordered Andrew Diggle’s death. I sent one of my agents to recruit Floyd Lawton. Andrew Diggle was his first assignment.”

“Why?” Felicity demanded.

“I like to outsource matters such as these. It gives a layer of separation for H.I.V.E. and myself,” Damien answered matter of factly.

“No! Why did you kill him?”

“Simple. Because of you,” Damien answered coolly.

“I don’t understand. How…how…” Felicity stammered, completely overwhelmed and horrified by this latest revelation.

Damien sighed a bit, almost like he was bored, and said, “Decisions like Andrew Diggle are difficult, but ultimately such a small piece in a much larger puzzle.”

“I don’t want to know you,” Felicity whispered as tears sprang into her eyes. “I don’t want to even know you exist.”

Damien tilted his head thoughtfully and said, “But I do exist Felicity. It’s because I exist that you exist. I’m not simply speaking in biological terms. The reason you are still here is because Andrew Diggle is not. It is a simple fact., It begs the question, however, what will your friend think when he discovers you are the reason his brother is dead?”

The weight of Damien’s words settled on Felicity like a stone around her neck. She couldn’t breathe. As the tears streamed down her face, Felicity backed away from her father trying to put as much distance between them as possible.

“When he finds out the truth, he’ll never forgive you. Your mere existence will be a constant reminder of what he’s lost. He’ll never accept you. None of them will. But here… you are safe. You’re home, Felicity.” Damien said.

The door opened as another H.I.V.E. agent entered the control room. Felicity turned and ran. She didn’t know where to escape, she just knew she had to. A guard was posted at the elevator and moved towards her. She turned down the hallway and saw a doorway to a stairwell. She flung open the door and began running down the steps two at a time. She made it down two flights before encountering H.I.V.E. agents running up from the stairs below. She turned around and raced back up the stairs. The roof was her only option.

Felicity flung open the door to the roof and continued her sprint. As she reached the edge of the roof, she stopped short in horror.

“Oh my God. No. No, no, no,” Felicity said in shock.

A dense jungle surrounded the building, but beyond that… ocean.  Felicity turned in a circle, praying to see something else, but there was nothing but miles and miles of blue water.

“It’s an island,” Felicity whispered to herself.

Damien and the H.I.V.E. agents spilled onto the roof. Felicity turned to face her father.

“I told you. You are not my prisoner, but I never said there was anywhere else to go,” Damien said.

Felicity turned her back and faced the edge of the roof again staring at the miles of open ocean. She closed her eyes as tears dripped down her face and whispered, “Oliver…”

Two H.I.V.E. agents gripped her arms tightly, pulling her away from the edge, leading her back to the stairwell. As Felicity passed her father, she angrily said, “Oliver will come for me.”

Damien confidently answered, “He’ll never find you.”

Felicity laughed at her father in response. “You have no idea who he is.”

Infuriated, Damien glared at Felicity. “I know exactly who he is. Did you really think I’d allow a marriage to Al Sah-him? That I’d allow my only child to be Bride to the Demon? To become nothing more than a whore to Ra’s Al Ghul’s heir?”

“I’d rather be his whore than your daughter,” Felicity spat back.

Damien paused and approached Felicity slowly. He gently caressed her cheek and whispered, “It’s amusing. You think you have a choice in the matter, Felicity.”

When she pulled away in disgust, Damien gripped her chin firmly and forced Felicity to look at him.

Damien hissed, “You better pray he stays away. If Al Sah-him so much as speaks your name in my presence I will cut out his tongue. Then I will kill him. Slowly. As you watch.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BOLD: Contest Winners. I held polls on my blog that allowed readers to choose certain aspects in the story - from songs to wedding selections. Contest winners are revealed in their first appearance in the story. All contest winners will be published in the final chapter.
> 
> ***Songs I listened to while writing the scene.
> 
> The story is finished. I am posting chapters as my editor finishes edits. 12 Chapters total. 175 pages.

_***Timshell by Mumford & Sons_

It was near closing time when Oliver walked into the bar. It was empty, and Jake was wiping down the counter. He glanced up at Oliver briefly, but then immediately began wiping down the bar again.

“Haven’t seen you around for a few days,” Jake murmured.

“Sorry, there was an emergency,” Oliver answered apologetically. This got Jake’s attention and he focused on Oliver.

“Everything alright?”

Oliver remained wordless, and Jake crossed his arms, “You in trouble boy?”

“Not me. Felicity.”

“Call the police.”

“I don’t call the police, Jake. I’ll handle it,” Oliver answered, his voice dropping a threatening octave.

“By yourself?”

The bell dinged as the door swung open.

“No. Not by himself.”

At the sound of Diggle’s voice, Oliver turned around and looked at him gratefully. Jake nodded towards him and asked, “Friend of yours?”

Diggle flatly, “Let’s not go that far.”

The comment stung. Oliver swallowed hard in disappointment at the anger bubbling under Diggle’s answer. An anger that was warranted and understandable. An anger he completely deserved.

Jake looked at Oliver quizzically and said, “You’ve become almost social boy. It's… odd.” He noticed the pack over Oliver’s shoulder and asked, “How long will you be gone?”

Again Oliver remained silent, and Jake nodded in understanding. He came from around the bar and offered Oliver his hand. Oliver shook it as Jake commanded, “Go handle it.” He paused and glanced at Diggle, giving a nod of acknowledgment as he said, “I’ll leave you boys to it. Lock up behind ya.”

As Jake shuffled to the back, Oliver faced Diggle once again. For a moment, the two men regarded themselves in silence.

“A bar huh?” Diggle said, a slight amusement playing in his voice as he looked around.

Oliver nodded and said, “Yeah. Look… Diggle…”

“We should get going. Thea is waiting for us in the car. I asked her to give us a minute,” Diggle interrupted.

“Thea?”

Diggle stopped and turned around to face Oliver again as he said, “Yeah. I told her Oliver. I don’t keep secrets from the team.”

“I told her, Diggle. I don’t know who’s coming after us. I didn’t want to risk her too, so I asked her not to come.”

“Oh. She didn’t say anything. I just assumed…”

“Forget it. I should have figured. She never listens to me anyway,” Oliver said. He hesitated for a moment but then continued, “John…I just want to say thank you.”

“I’m here for her, Oliver. Not for you.”

“I know, but thank you just the same.”

Diggle walked to the door and held it open for Oliver. He gently said, “We’ll find her, Oliver. We won’t stop until we do. I promise.”

“Where do you want to start?”

“At the house. We need to see where it happened.”

As Oliver and Diggle walked outside, Thea was leaning up against Diggle’s car. Briefly Oliver and Thea stared at one another. Then Oliver held open his arms, and Thea ran to them. Instantly Oliver knew it had been a mistake not to ask her to come. Neither of them said anything, but as Oliver held his sister in his arms, he began to feel stronger.

_***Til My Heart Stops by Too Far Moon_

As Oliver opened the door to the beach house, Thea gasped in horror. It was still trashed from the struggle. For a moment, everyone simply surveyed the destruction and disarray.

“Oh my God. Ollie…,” Thea whispered. Instinctively she reached for Oliver’s hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. The three separated and began to investigate. Diggle paused and picked up a photo of Oliver and Felicity. Picturesque green hills rolled behind them as Felicity stretched out one arm in pride, the other wrapped tightly around Oliver’s waist as his arm curled around her back, securing her next to him. Each had bright, almost blissful, smiles.

“You were happy,” Diggle murmured, a sense of satisfaction in his tone.

“We were,” Oliver acknowledged, the pain etching in his voice. “We are.”

Diggle moved further into the house and knelt at the shattered glass and pool of dried blood. As his eyes examined the ground, something caught his eye: a ring box. Diggle picked it up off the floor and opened it. It was empty. Surprised he looked up at Oliver, but he wouldn’t meet Diggle’s gaze. Thea stood next to Diggle, and he silently handed her the box. She swallowed hard and looked up at Oliver, tears filling her eyes.

“She said yes?” Thea whispered.

Oliver nodded silently and said, “We were going to call you that morning but…”

Diggle glanced at Thea in surprise and asked, “You knew?”

Thea nodded sadly and never took her eyes off Oliver as he aimlessly wandered around like he was lost in his own home. “Yeah. Ollie… he told me a few weeks ago. I helped him pick out the ring.”

As Oliver moved into the kitchen, he set his cell phone down on the table. He put it on speaker and played Felicity’s voicemail. As her voice filled the house, Diggle and Thea listened in shocked horror.

“What the hell is this?” Diggle asked.

“She called me. Before the attack, but I didn’t have my phone with me. It starts at a minute and 4 seconds.”

Diggle looked impressed as Felicity began to call out descriptions of her attackers. “Did you teach her that?” Diggle asked.

Oliver shook his head and answered, “No. Honestly, I think she saw it in a movie once. She knew… I wouldn’t make it back in time.”

Oliver moved to the window and began staring out the window at the ocean. The moonlight sparkled across the waves as they lapped up onto the beach. It was a serene contrast to Felicity’s gasping breaths.

“They’re choking her,” Oliver explained flatly, his voice nearly devoid of emotion.

“Oliver, you don’t need to listen to this again,” Diggle offered sympathetically.

Turning from the window, Oliver answered Diggle matter of factly, “I’ve already listened to it a thousand times, John. One more won’t matter.”

The silence was deafening as the voicemail ended. Thea moved to Oliver and gently touched his shoulder. He turned to her. Hesitantly, Thea reached up and pulled down his t-shirt ever so slightly, exposing his Bratva tattoo.

“A tattoo?” Thea asked. “Like yours?”

“Yes,” Oliver answered flatly. Thea released Oliver’s shirt, and the fabric slid back into place, obscuring the Bratva symbol like a shroud.

“Who are they?” Thea asked.

Oliver hesitated, “The Bratva. Russian mafia.”

Eyebrows raised Thea said, “You once belonged to the Russian mafia?”

Refusing to look Thea in the eye, Oliver said, “Yes.”

“Why?” Thea asked.

“It’s a long story,” Oliver answered firmly.

“Everything with you is a long story, Oliver,” Thea sighed, but she didn’t press him for further details.

"Why didn’t you tell us the Bratva has her?” Diggle asked, the anger creeping in.

Oliver looked at Diggle and answered, “Because they don’t. I met with Anatoly already.”

“You flew to Russia?” Thea exclaimed. “When?”

“Yesterday. Anatoly is the only one who can issue a hit on a Bratva captain. I assumed it was punishment for cutting off ties. I only had a short amount of time before they killed her.”

“To do what Ollie?” Thea asked, crossing her arms.

“To offer my life for hers.”

Thea took a step back in disgust, “That wasn’t your only option!”

“Obviously that wasn’t going to be my first play. If I could get us both out I would.”

“You could have called me – us! We would have…” Thea argued.

“There wasn’t time. Anatoly either wanted to punish me or kill me. It’s how the Bratva works. You don’t leave them. Not alive.”

“But they didn’t kill you. You’re alive. So what happened?” Diggle asked, folding his arms.

“Anatoly didn’t order the hit. Someone hired Alexi Leonov to kidnap her. Those were his men.”

“I’m guessing he didn’t tell you who hired him,” Diggle said.

Oliver scoffed, “He doesn’t even know. The only information he gave me was a project code Y-H-W-H.”

Diggle’s eyes widened in recognition, and Oliver immediately picked up on it. He took a step towards Diggle and demanded, “What?”

Diggle said with dread, “I know who took her.”

“Who?” Thea asked.

“H.I.V.E.” Diggle answered, and Oliver closed his eyes in despair.

“How do you know this?” Oliver asked through clenched teeth.

“Since you’ve been gone, I’ve been investigating Andy’s death. YHWH is a top secret H.I.V.E. project my brother was investigating,” Diggle explained.

Oliver brow furrowed in confusion and asked, “What do you mean investigating, Diggle? Andy was a bodyguard.”

“No he wasn’t. He was CIA,” Diggle answered simply.

The revelation stunned Thea and Oliver into silence.

After the shock wore off and she was able to form words again, Thea asked, “You never said anything… not to me or Laurel.”

“I just found out a couple days ago. Carly found a journal of Andy’s.”

“I’m thinking the timing isn’t a coincidence,” Oliver said.

“Yeah. That makes two of us,” Diggle agreed.

“What the hell does YHWH mean?” Thea asked.

“According to Andy’s handler, it’s Hebrew for Yahweh,” Diggle answered softly. Oliver took a breath in, and Diggle immediately saw a thought flicker in his eyes. “What is it?” he pressed.

“Nothing. It’s just… Felicity is Jewish,” Oliver answered.

“That could be a coincidence,” Thea offered.

“H.I.V.E. has her, Thea. None of this is coincidental. The question is… what the hell do they want with her?” Diggle questioned.

Oliver turned to face the window again and said softly, almost to himself, “I was so stupid.”

Thea touched Oliver’s arm and asked, “What do you mean?”

“I thought… I thought, since I left it all behind, she’d be safe with me,” Oliver answered, guilt wracking his voice.

“Look, Oliver, if you are hell bent on blaming yourself nobody can stop you, but this might not have anything to do with you,” Diggle argued.

“Damien Darhk is the head of H.I.V.E.  He’s Ra’s Al Ghul’s enemy. I came after him six months ago, so now he’s coming after me and using Felicity to do it,” Oliver countered angrily.

Diggle shrugged, “Maybe. Maybe not. Felicity is one of the top technical minds in the country. From Andy’s research, so is Darhk. Maybe he wanted her for something. Did Lenov give you any more information?”

“No. He was resistant,” Oliver answered cryptically.

“You tortured him,” Diggle accused matter of factly.

Oliver said nothing, but met Diggle’s eyes with a steely gaze.

Thea gently said, “Oliver… everyone understands how worried –”

“I’m not looking for forgiveness, Thea. I will burn this world to the ground to find her,” Oliver answered sternly. Thea swallowed hard, at a loss for words.

“Then it’s a good thing you called, because I’m not going to let that happen. There needs to be something of you left when we find her,” Diggle paused and then very softly said, “There needs to be something of you left even if we don’t find her.”

“John!” Thea reprimanded.

“It’s a reality we have to face, Thea… that he has to face. From what I know about Darhk, he’s worse than Ra’s Al Ghul. H.I.V.E. has killed thousands. They killed Deadshot. They killed my brother.”

“You think I haven’t considered the possibility that she’s already dead, John?” Oliver asked softly.

“Yes.”

“Believe me. I have. ”

“So that’s it? Two days without her and you forget everything you stand for?” Diggle pushed back.

“I tortured Lenov because I’ll do whatever it takes to find her. No matter the cost.”

“Even if the cost is your soul? She wouldn’t want that Oliver,” Diggle argued.

“If I get her back, it’ll be worth it, and if I don’t, it doesn’t matter.”

“Why?” Thea exclaimed.

“Because I’ll be dead anyway.”

Diggle and Thea had no response to this. Finally, Diggle cleared his throat and said, “We’re wasting time. Somehow Felicity is connected to H.I.V.E.’ s YHWH project, which means we have a place to start: my brother. We need to get back to Starling.”

“Let’s go,” Oliver agreed. He grabbed his bag and followed Diggle out to the door, but Thea didn’t. She was frozen in front of the shattered mirror, her reflection splintered into a thousand images.

“Speedy?” Oliver called to her, but she didn’t answer. She was transfixed.

“Thea!” Oliver called her name louder and she snapped out of her daze, blinking rapidly.

“You coming?” Diggle asked.

Thea nodded silently and followed them to the door. Oliver touched her shoulder and asked, “You okay?”

“I’m fine. Let’s just get going okay?”

Oliver nodded in agreement silently and let Thea go first out the door. Oliver tried to reassure himself he was overreacting, but he recognized the faraway look in Thea’s eyes as she stared at the mirror. It was the same look she had after she rose from the Lazarus Pit. Glancing at the mirror before he shut the door, Oliver felt an unshakeable feeling taking hold in the pit of his stomach.

Something was wrong with Thea.

_***Stranger by Katie Costello_

Felicity wandered the grounds of the H.I.V.E. compound, the lush green jungle spreading out before her as the hot sun beat down on her. She was grateful for her ponytail as she could feel the sweat beading against her neck. A H.I.V.E. agent followed closely behind. As she moved past the main building, she discovered brush beaten down into a walking path and began to follow it. It wound her through the jungle, and, for a moment she feared becoming lost.  Although, since the H.I.V.E. agent behind her said nothing, she couldn’t be too far off from the main camp. The path, however, ended as soon as it began when Felicity came upon a clearing. A small brick building stood before her. It was almost inconsequential in its stature and looked oddly out of place in H.I.V.E.’ s conglomerate of interconnected buildings. Felicity noticed a Star of David etched into the window pain. She glanced back at the H.I.V.E. agent, but he remained silent.

Hesitantly, Felicity stepped inside and was surprised to find a simple temple with only a few wooden pews. Before her was an intricately carved Ark, covered in a beautiful red tapestry that looked from another time. Felicity gingerly pushed the tapestry aside and opened the Aron Kodesh slowly. The yellow of the parchment immediately betrayed the age of the Torah scrolls sitting inside.

The H.I.V.E. agent did not follow her inside, and Felicity was grateful for a moment of privacy. She sat down in one of the pews, allowing the quiet to wash over her, trying to center herself so she could think. As the hours passed by, day shifted to night, and the temple began to darken beyond the point of sight. Felicity stood to leave, but jumped when she saw Damien standing in the shadows of the doorway.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you,” Damien said softly.

“I find that hard to believe,” Felicity scoffed.

“I deserved that,” he paused and motioned to the door. “May I?”

Felicity shrugged in response, but Damien ignored her complacent answer. He pulled a matchbook from the breast pocket of his suit and lit a match, igniting several candles as he made his way to Felicity’s pew. The temple glimmered to life in the fire light.

“They told me you were here. I grew concerned at nightfall. I never installed electricity,” Damien explained.

“Why?” Felicity asked. She didn’t want to engage him in conversation but somehow her curiosity always got the best of her.

“I… don’t know. I suppose it reminded me of the temple back home.”

“We have electricity in Vegas or have you forgotten?” Felicity said sarcastically.

“No, I mean… the temple from my homeland. Where I was born.”

“Which was?” Felicity asked.

Damien ignored the question with silence. Instead, he took a seat next to Felicity and noted how she stiffened in response.

Damien sighed, “I apologize for my temper. I am use to molding what I want by sheer force of will.”

His apology was greeted with a stony silence, and Damien stood in response. “I’ll leave you alone. I just wanted you to have some light.”

“How do you rationalize it?” Felicity asked suddenly. Damien stopped and turned.

“Rationalize what?”

“Bribery. Murder. God. I don’t understand how you make this,” Felicity motioned to the temple around her, “and that work.” She finished by pointing in the direction of the H.I.V.E. compound.

“Simple. I don’t.”

“But I thought…”

“I haven’t been in here since I carved the Aron Kodesh. I built this place for you. I know your mother raised you as Jewish. You still practice… sometimes,” Damien winked at Felicity at his last remark. “As I said, I wanted you to feel this was home.”

“Mom… she always made it sound like your faith was such an important part of you,” Felicity said obviously confused.

“It was. Where I come from being Jewish was who you were. When you join the League, your former self must fall away, but I was never able to let go of that part of myself. I think Ra’s knew it.  It was probably the reason he made Basir his heir. One of the few joys of being expelled from the League was the freedom to practice my faith again.”

“Mom told me she converted for you.”

“I loved her very much for that.”

“She said, after you left, she stayed for her, but I think…”

“What?”

“I think it was one of the few ways she still felt close to you. It was one of the only connections to you we had left, so she held onto it. Now I come to discover, you don’t even believe anymore. It’s just another lie… just like everything else with you,” Felicity said, wiping a tear from her face.

“I still believe in God, Felicity. That’s not why I turned my back on everything I believed in.”

“Then why?”

“To protect you from this world, I had to become something even God would fear,” Damien said resolutely.

“Am I your excuse for everything?” Felicity countered.

“No. As I said, protecting you is how it started but to be honest… it was always there. Inside me. I couldn’t stomach the world anymore. People are slaves to those in power, and they don’t even realize it. I wanted to give them freedom.”

“I don’t understand how… Mom fell in love with you,” Felicity turned to look at her father for the first time, tears shining in her eyes. “She’s so good and kind. I don’t know how someone like her falls for someone like you.”

“It was twenty years ago, Felicity.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning, she fell in love with Elijah Smoak. Not Damien Darhk. She doesn’t even know who that is.”

“You’re not both?” Felicity countered.

“I can’t be Felicity. I had to make a choice. The day I chose Damien Darhk is the day Elijah Smoak died.”

Felicity stood from the pew and walked past her father. She paused before leaving and said, “I guess that’s too bad for me then. I didn’t get a chance to know Elijah then, and I don’t want to know Damien now.”

After she left, Damien turned to follow, snuffing out the candles with his fingers and leaving a trail of darkness behind him.

_***I Gave You All by Mumford and Sons_

Oliver, Diggle and Thea went straight to Diggle’s apartment to get Andy’s journal. As Diggle opened the door, Thea entered but Oliver stood outside the door.

“I can wait here,” Oliver said softly.

Diggle paused and looked back at him grimly, “Yeah, maybe that’d be best.”

“John? It’s fine,” Lyla said as she entered the room, carrying Sara. “Come in, Oliver.”

“Lyla, I…” Oliver started to argue, but she quickly interrupted him.

“I said come in. There’s someone here to see you. All of you.”

Oliver entered the apartment and was surprised to see Cisco sitting on Diggle’s couch. As Diggle, Thea and Oliver entered the family room, Cisco stood to greet them.

“Sorry to intrude. I went to the new Arrow cave, but nobody was there,” Cisco explained.

“Really? Laurel was still out on patrol?” Diggle asked.

“Much to my disappointment, yes. I thought about waiting. I mean, I’ve never seen Laurel in her Black Canary disguise… officially speaking.”

“It’s leather. With a lot of buckles,” Thea chimed in.

“Buckles? Cool. Do they serve a strategic purpose?” Cisco asked.

Thea shrugged, “Haven’t figured that out yet. Takes forever to get in and out of it though.”

“You’re in the room? When she’s in and out of it?”

“Cisco!” Oliver interrupted irritated.

“Sorry. Off topic. It’s just you know. Laurel as Black Canary. In leather. It’s difficult to you know…focus…”

“Try,” Oliver commanded firmly.

Cisco went to his bag and pulled out some documents, handing them to Diggle. “I did the best I could, but that was some code. Way above my pay grade, man. Felicity is really the one for the job… if, you know, she wasn’t kidnapped.”

“What did you find?” Diggle murmured as he began flipping through the documents.

Cisco shrugged, “Not much.  I was able to crack up to the same layer of code your brother did, but after that, it’s some pretty harry firewalls.”

Diggle finished flipping through the documents and looked up at Cisco grimly, “Is this for real?”

Cisco shrugged, “I mean, yeah. It’s all there in black and white… and a little grey because I ran out of ink but…”

Diggle set the papers down and took a deep breath. With lightening speed he turned to Oliver, grabbed him and threw him up against the wall.

“What the hell?” Oliver shouted.

“John!” Lyla yelled as Cisco took a step back in surprise.

“Let him go, Diggle!” Thea yelled.

“Did you know? Did you know about this all along?” Diggle yelled through clenched teeth, his fists wrapped tightly around Oliver’s shirt as he kept him pressed up against the wall.

“Get your hands off me!” Oliver shouted as he shoved Diggle back hard. It forced Diggle to release Oliver and take a few steps back, but Diggle rebounded quickly and was immediately in Oliver’s face. The two men squared off, staring each other down.

“John! Back off!” Lyla ordered.

“What the hell are you talking about? Oliver demanded angrily.

"Queen Consolidated, Oliver! My brother was investigating Queen Consolidated. The YHWH Project is connected directly to Queen Consolidated. It’s all in black and white…”

“And a little grey,” Cisco added quietly.

“So tell me. How deep was your father into this?”

“John, I honestly have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about!” Oliver exclaimed exasperated.

“Was your father H.I.V.E.? Did you know all along? Is that why my brother is dead? It was your family, wasn’t it? That’s what got him killed!” Diggle shouted angrily at Oliver. “Have you been lying to me all along?”

Oliver took a step back and closed his eyes, breathing deeply, calming himself down. When he spoke, his voice was angry but controlled, “Diggle… my father was rotting on Lian Yu when your brother was murdered. You know this.”

“Yeah well, criminal ties aren’t exactly new to your family, Oliver. How do you know he wasn’t involved with H.I.V.E.?” Diggle seethed.

“Um…” Cisco attempted to interrupt, but the two men ignored him.

“John… you investigated my father right by my side. His only involvement was with Merlyn and the earthquake machine. You know this!” Oliver argued.

“I don’t know anything anymore when it comes to you,” Diggle spat back angrily.

“Umm…” Cisco attempted futilely again.

Oliver took a step back, obviously wounded and said, “I understand why you feel that way now, Diggle, and I know I broke the trust between us, but you can’t rewrite history with one mistake. I never would have kept something like this from you.”

Diggle laughed bitterly, “You mean like how you never would have kidnapped my wife? Left my baby girl alone? Terrorized my family?”

“Alright that’s enough!” Lyla commanded angrily. “Both of you either reel in the testosterone and back off, or I’m going to do it for you.”

When neither men reacted, Lyla crossed her arms and said, “Anyone think I’m joking?”

The menace in her voice got Oliver and Diggle’s attention, and they immediately separated several steps from one another.

“Good. Now, neither one of you have noticed that Cisco has been trying to tell you something. If we have any hope of getting Felicity back, I suggest you shut up and listen. Cisco!”

At the sound of his name, Cisco jumped a mile and turned to Lyla immediately. He nervously said, “Yes?”

“Try speaking above a whisper this time and spit it out,” Lyla ordered.

“Yes ma'am. I agree, Diggle, when I first looked at the documents H.I.V.E. had on Queen Consolidated, Robert Queen’s name is all over the place. At first glance, it looks like there’s some connection between him and H.I.V.E., but you have to dig deeper. I doubt Oliver’s father had any real involvement on most of the projects. His name goes on top because he was CEO. It’s hard to see, but it makes sense. She was just an analyst. Practically invisible.”

“She?” Diggle asked quizzically.

Oliver was already leafing through the documents and looked up at Diggle in surprise, “Felicity.”

“Every project referenced… she’s connected to it in some way. There are even employment records there. H.I.V.E. wasn’t working with Robert Queen. They were tracking Felicity… down to what time she had lunch.”

Diggle grabbed the documents from Oliver again and flipped through them more slowly. After reading through several, Diggle looked at Lyla and said, “He’s right.”

“Why? I don't… that was years before I ever met her,” Oliver shook his head in confusion.

“Because John is right, Oliver. This isn’t about you. This is about her. Felicity has some tie to H.I.V.E.,” Thea said.

"If Cisco was able to crack the firewall to the same level Andy did, then he had those documents. Which means Andy was investigating Felicity too,” Lyla added.

“Project YHWH… is her. It’s Felicity,” Oliver whispered.

Diggle took grabbed his jacket and angrily said, “I need some air,” before he stormed out. The echo of the slamming door reverberated off the walls, and Sara immediately began to cry. Lyla picked her up to console her, and Sara quickly quieted down.

_***Black Flies by Ben Howard_

“I need to get back to Central City. I’m sorry if I caused more problems,” Cisco said.

Oliver offered Cisco his hand and said, “No. Thank you, Cisco. This will be helpful.”

Cisco smiled and gave a little wave to the ladies as he left. Lyla turned to Thea and motioned to Sara.

“Would you mind taking her? I need to speak with Oliver.”

“Sure! Come here, nugget. Let’s read a little Goodnight Moon,” Thea said in a sweet, sing-song voice, and Sara giggled happily as they went into her nursery.

Oliver shifted his feet nervously and awkwardly folded his arms. He was painfully very aware the last time they were alone together he was kidnapping her.

“You and I need to get some things straight,” Lyla said resolutely.

“Lyla… I am so sorry. I wish…”

Lyla held up her hand and interrupted him, “Oliver stop. I’m not angry with you.”

Oliver raised his eyebrows in surprise and answered, “You’re not?”

“Well, yes. During? Absolutely. Then after, of course…at first… but now I understand why did what you did. Truth be told, I probably would have done the same thing in your shoes.”

“Why?”

“I told you already… once… not so long ago. Sometimes bravery isn’t enough. Sometimes you have to be bold,” Lyla answered softly.

“Somehow I don’t think that’s how Diggle looks at it,” Oliver said sadly.

Lyla shrugged, “Diggle lives in a world of black and white. It’s one of the reasons I love him, but I also told you there are people in this world who deal in extreme measures…”

“And it is naive to think anything less than extreme measures will stop them,” Oliver interrupted. As he echoed their previous conversation – and Amanda Waller’s words – Lyla and Oliver smiled a little at one another. Diggle had informed Oliver of Waller’s murder during the drive back to Starling City.

“I think about Amanda’s words more now that she’s gone… the sacrifices people make to keep this world safe… to keep each other safe,” Lyla mused.

“Kidnapping you was hardly keeping you safe, Lyla,” Oliver replied, the guilt rising once again.

Lyla chuckled, “You and John act like I’m porcelain doll. Oliver, you tied me up for a few hours. During my first tour in Afghanistan, I was pinned down in a firefight for 87 hours. We ran out of food and water in 30. You don’t even come close to my definition of hardship.”

“You shouldn't… I don’t deserve your forgiveness, Lyla,” Oliver said, unable to look Lyla in the eyes.

“No, you don’t. Nobody ever does. But you need it just the same.”

“Still, it was wrong Lyla,” Oliver argued, “and I understand why John can’t trust me anymore.”

Lyla sighed, “Yeah. That’s a mountain you have to climb, Oliver, but I will say this: John loves you. That’s why he’s so angry.”

“Thank you, Lyla.”

“Sure,” Lyla answered. Then she paused and took a step closer to Oliver, so she could look him dead in the eye. “But just so we’re clear… if you ever involve Sara in something like that again, Lian Yu will look like a summer vacation after I get through with you. You copy?”

“Yes,” Oliver answered firmly.

“Good. Now I’m going to get my husband back, and we’re going to comb through that journal for every possible clue to find your girlfriend.”

“Fiancée,” Oliver corrected.

Lyla smiled, “About damn time.”

Thea came out of Sara’s room and said, “She’s asleep.”

“Thank you so much,” Lyla answered gratefully.

“Of course. I love snuggling with… her…” Thea blinked rapidly and then pressed her hands to her temple, grimacing in pain.

“Another headache?” Lyla asked concerned.

Thea nodded and rubbed her temple, trying to quell the sudden rush of pain.

“What do you mean another headache?” Oliver asked.

Thea shrugged and said, “I get them sometimes.”

Worried, Oliver walked over to her and gently touched her shoulder. “Hey. When did these start?”

Thea shrugged, “A month or two ago. I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to worry you. They go away if I rest, which is somewhat difficult with my night job. Well… both of them.”

“Go home. Sleep.”

“But I want to help find Felicity,” Thea argued.

“And you will… but not like this. I’ll call you if we find anything, okay?” Oliver said.

Reluctantly Thea nodded, and before she left, she hugged Oliver goodbye.

“We’ll find her,” Thea whispered.

“I know,” Oliver whispered back softly.

“I’m sorry it’s under these circumstances, but I’m glad you’re home. I missed you,” Thea said as she pulled away.

Oliver kissed her softly on the forehead and answered, “Me too, Speedy.”

Lyla led Thea to the door, but as soon as they opened it Diggle and Penelope were standing outside about to enter.

“You must be Penelope, Andy’s handler,” Thea said. Diggle had filled in both Oliver and Thea on the full story on the drive home.

“Hmm, my reputation precedes me. Laurel?” Penelope asked as she extended a hand.

“Thea,” Thea corrected as she shook her hand.

“Sorry,” Penelope said as she and Diggle entered the apartment.

“Penelope found…” Diggle hesitated as Lyla signaled to him behind Thea’s back, “absolutely nothing of interest.”

Thea rolled her eyes and turned to Lyla, “Seriously?”

“Headache?” Diggle asked Lyla.

“Headache,” Lyla answered.

“Home. Sleep. It’s just more research we have to go through. If we find someone to punch, you’ll be my first call,” Diggle ordered.

“Fine,” Thea sighed as she left.

_***Always Find Me Here by Transit_

An awkward silence hung in the air as Oliver and Diggle regarded one another. Penelope glanced between the two men. Finally she stuck her hand out to Oliver and said, “Hi. Penelope Lord.”

“Oliver Queen.”

“I understand H.I.V.E. has taken an interest in your fiancée,” Penelope said.

“Any idea why?”

“Nope, but John asked me to track down one of Damien Darhk’s long time associates, Cameron Kane.”

“So he said. Find him?”

Penelope scoffed, “I wish. If Kane is alive, he’s in the wind. We won’t find him. But…I did find some interesting activity through one of his holding companies. H.I.V.E. is buried underneath a conglomerate of corporations and networks, but the CIA has managed to pinpoint a few of their legal entities. It won’t lead us to H.I.V.E. or their headquarters, but it could give us a clue as to what they are up to, and maybe what they want with your fiancee.”

“What did you find?” Lyla asked.

“Well, about two years ago, one of Kane’s subsidiaries started investing in real-estate companies. Nobody paid it any mind because Gotham is going through an overhaul, and the Kanes are building the Robert H. Kane Memorial Bridge, in honor of Cameron’s great grandfather. But I dug a little deeper. I think they simply used the real-estate companies as fronts, so they could start buying properties without raising any red flags.”

“What kind of red flags?” Diggle asked.

“Kane has been buying up islands. A lot of them,” Penelope explained as she handed Diggle the paperwork.

Diggle glanced at Oliver and said, “She’s right.”

“How many islands are we talking?” Oliver asked.

“Almost 50. They are unpopulated and remote, but maybe H.I.V.E. is stationed at one of them,” Penelope answered.

“It’s a start at least,” Diggle said appreciatively.

Oliver crossed his arms and said, “Or a dead end.”

Penelope looked surprised and asked, “Excuse me?”

“Fifty remote islands? How the hell are we supposed to check all of those? It’ll take weeks. Maybe months. Unless the CIA is offering some assistance?” Oliver asked.

“No,” Penelope answered flatly.

“ARGUS?” Diggle asked hopefully but Lyla shook her head no.

“Penelope was right. ARGUS refuses to look into Darhk or H.I.V.E. Waller was working this off the books, which makes me think it’s a good idea to keep it there. Forming a team large enough to investigate multiple deserted islands, that’s going to create some attention.”

“Which brings me back to my original point,” Oliver answered.

Penelope crossed her arms defensively and asked, “Which is?”

“I just find it interesting that the one piece of evidence you bring to help find Felicity doesn’t actually help us find Felicity,” Oliver answered suspiciously.

“I am as invested as finding H.I.V.E. as you are, Mr. Queen… maybe more, but if you don’t trust me -”

“I don’t,” Oliver answered.

Penelope fell quiet. The tension grew rapidly in the silence as she and Oliver stared at one another, neither breaking eye contact.

“Oliver, can I speak with you for a moment?” Diggle asked.

Oliver silently followed Diggle into the hall.

“Back off,” Diggle commanded. “This is as good a lead as any.”

“You’re kidding me, right? Diggle… how could you invite a complete stranger into this? Into your home?”

“As opposed to my secret crime-fighting hideout?” Diggle shot back.

“You didn’t tell her?”

"Of course not, Oliver! I’m not a complete idiot. I make sure the team actually keeps their secret identities secret, but I checked her out. She’s legit,” Diggle argued.

“I’m not saying she doesn’t know Andy or wasn’t his handler, but where the hell has she been the past five years?”

“She explained that,” Diggle answered.

“And you believe her?”

His silence was all the confirmation Oliver needed. He rubbed his eyes in frustration and took a few steps away from Diggle to gain his composure.

“John, listen to me… you don’t know this person. You can’t trust her.”

“And what about the people I do know? I can’t always trust them either,” Diggle answered.

His remark silenced Oliver, and Diggle took a step forward. “You left the team, Oliver. You don’t run things anymore. If we’re going to find Felicity, we’re going to do it my way.”

“What do Laurel and Thea say?” Oliver asked.

“Laurel and Thea agreed it’s my call. It’s about my brother,” Diggle answered.

Oliver thought it over for a moment and then answered, “Alright. I’ll fall in line. But just so we’re clear? I’m not agreeing because I trust her. I’m agreeing because I trust you… regardless of how you feel about me.”

Diggle was moved by Oliver’s heartfelt intention, but he couldn’t allow Oliver to see it. The truth was he didn’t fully trust Penelope, but keeping her close seemed the better option. Thea and Laurel didn’t disagree. Diggle always told Oliver what he was thinking. Keeping him at arm’s length felt strange, but necessary. If Oliver’s run in with Lenov was any indication, he couldn’t think straight when it came to Felicity. He was a loose cannon. It wasn’t just about trust. Diggle was no longer certain he could depend on Oliver.

Diggle walked back into the apartment, but stopped short when he saw Oliver gazing off with a strange look on his face.

“What is it?” Diggle asked.

Oliver shook his head, “It’s just… never mind. It’s nothing.”

Satisfied with his answer, Diggle headed back to the kitchen table where Lyla and Penelope were pouring over the real-estate documents, trying to narrow down the number of islands. The moment Oliver entered the apartment, something felt off. Oliver thought it was his overriding distrust of Penelope, but as his instincts kicked into high gear, he knew it was more than just distrust. Danger was more than emotional to Oliver. It was always physical. The hair on his arm was standing up. He had a sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach. It was the same feeling he had when he pulled up to the beach house. It was the environment. As Oliver scanned the apparent safety of Diggle’s apartment he knew something was wrong. Something was coming. He just didn’t know what.

_***Who Are You Really? by Mikky Echo_

As the H.I.V.E. guard let Felicity into her faux apartment, she wandered into the kitchen and immediately began pulling out supplies to make an omelet. The H.I.V.E. agent watched her cautiously.

“I could simply order something, Ms. Smoak. There’s a kitchen and your father employs a world-renowned chef,” the agent explained.

Felicity set some eggs on the counter and answered, “No. My father said I should feel like this is my home. Well, I cook at home. I make amazing omelets.”

Satisfied, the guard turned to leave. Felicity opened her cabinet to get the salt, but even on her tiptoes it was far from reach.

“Apparently, they didn’t place everything where I use to. This is way too high. Do you think you could get it down for me?” Felicity asked sweetly.

The guard smiled in response and went into the kitchen. Felicity took a few steps back so he could grab the salt. Despite being taller than Felicity, it was still a struggle.

“So I guess you never read the intel on me?” Felicity asked innocently.

The salt brushed against the agent’s fingertips but only slid back more. With a frustrated frown, he reached again and said, “No. Why?”

Felicity reached for the frying pan and answered breezily, “Because you’d know I can’t cook.”

Before the agent could face her, Felicity whacked him in the head with the frying pan. As he slumped to the ground, Felicity muttered, “Oliver, however, makes particularly great omelets.”

Once the agent’s body hit the floor, Felicity began searching his pockets and jacket frantically. When she found a cell phone, Felicity raised her fist in the air and shouted, “Yes!”

The guard began to stir. Felicity frowned at him and anxiously said, “Frack! They always stay unconscious when Oliver does that.”

She whacked him again with the frying pan, and he slumped back to the ground. Felicity dialed Oliver’s cell.

Oliver looked down as his phone began to ring. The caller ID listed “Unknown Name”. Oliver couldn’t breathe. He looked up at Diggle and said hesitantly, “John?”

Diggle looked up from a stack of papers and over to Oliver, but before he had time to respond Oliver answered his phone.

“Hello?”

The sound of Oliver’s voice caused a well to rise in Felicity’s throat and she stifled a sob so she could answer.

“Oliver?”

Oliver closed his eyes as he heard Felicity’s voice, a deep breath exhaling from his body. The sight of Oliver’s relief was all the confirmation Diggle and Lyla needed. Oliver stood from his chair as he fired off a barrage of questions.

“Are you hurt? Where are you?”

Felicity glanced nervously around her before answering, “No. I’m okay. I don’t know how much time I have. I knocked a guard over the head with a frying pan.”

“Where are you?” Oliver demanded more emphatically, his body surging with nervous energy.

“An island, and no, I’m not joking. Is there some Queen family initiation I’m unaware of?” Felicity joked weakly.

“Lian Yu?” Oliver asked, breezing past Felicity’s attempt at humor.

“Well, it’s warm, and I haven’t run into any land mines, so I’m thinking no.”

Oliver covered the phone, “It’s an island. She doesn’t know where. Can we get a trace on this Lyla?”

Lyla rushed to her computer and said, “I’ll do my best” before furiously typing. Penelope cast a smug look in Oliver’s direction, but he chose to ignore it.

“Can you describe where you’re at?” Oliver asked

Oliver set the phone down and put it on speaker so Lyla, Diggle and Penelope could hear.

“H.I.V.E. headquarters, I think, but this place is a maze. Even if I could escape, which I can’t, there’s this small issue of the ocean.”

“Just sit tight. I’m coming for you,” Oliver answered confidently.

“Yeah, about that. Damien Darhk is not a fan, Oliver. He wants to kill you. Painfully. Starting with your tongue. Maybe he was just using imagery to illustrate a point, but I’ve grown fond of your tongue, so I’d rather not to risk it,” Felicity babbled nervously.

Dead silence. Oliver closed his eyes in embarrassment.

“Am I on speaker phone?” Felicity asked curiously.

“Yes,” everyone replied in unison.

“Sorry. That came out… wrong,” Felicity apologized.

“Darhk doesn’t frighten me, Felicity, and I’m bringing back up,” Oliver glanced at Diggle who gave him a nod of affirmation. “Do you know what he wants? Why did he take you?”

Felicity didn’t know how to answer the question without telling Oliver that Darhk was her father. Telling Oliver that also meant telling John her father killed his brother. She wasn’t prepared to deal with that… not yet.

“I don’t,” Felicity lied.

Oliver furrowed his brow in confusion. She was lying. He could hear it in her voice, but he couldn’t fathom why. Diggle jumped in before Oliver could push back.

“Felicity, it’s John. Could you get us some schematics or something? So we know what we’re headed into?”

The sound of Diggle’s voice rendered Felicity speechless. The noticeable silence on the other end puzzled Oliver and Diggle, and they exchanged quizzical looks.

“Felicity?” Oliver prodded gently.

“Sorry, it’s just… bad connection I think. What did you say?” Felicity lied.

“Schematics,” Oliver answered.

“That’s going to be tricky. This place is a fortress,” Felicity answered. “How is Lyla coming on the trace?”

“I’m running into some pretty major firewalls. I don’t think I’ll be able to get her exact location, but I should be able to narrow the list down further,” Lyla answered, raising her voice so Felicity could hear her.

Felicity rolled her eyes. Of course there were firewalls. She shouldn’t have expected anything less from her father.

“Hang on. If she’s at H.I.V.E.’ s headquarters this could be our only shot at obtaining evidence on Darhk… maybe the only chance we have at ascertaining if The Box is even real,” Penelope pressed.

“She’s right, Oliver,” Diggle agreed.

“No. It’s too dangerous. Absolutely not,” Oliver answered emphatically.

Penelope crossed her arms defiantly and leveled a steely gaze on Oliver, “I don’t think you’re exactly impartial here, Mr. Queen. I was right about H.I.V.E.’s islands. If I’m right about The Box then we need to know what we’re dealing with.”

“Um… hello? Still here. What the hell is The Box?”

“Weapon of some kind. We think. My brother Andy was investigating it with his partner, Penelope.”

“Hey,” Penelope offered.

“Partner?” Felicity asked.

“Yeah. Andy was CIA Felicity. Is there any way you could access H.I.V.E.’s mainframe?” Diggle asked anxiously.

“Safely?” Oliver added.

Felicity smiled a little at his protectiveness. “Maybe. If I can get out of here. Hang on.”

Felicity searched the guard again and found his key card strapped to his belt. She tapped his head gently and said, “Thank you. You are so helpful.” Then, she turned her attention back to the phone and said, “Ok. I’m set.”

The guard started to moan again, and Felicity whispered, “Crap.”

Alarmed, Oliver asked, “What?”

“The guard is coming to.”

“Hit him again,” Diggle and Oliver said in unison.

Felicity groaned, “For the third time? Isn’t that going to cause permanent brain damage?”

“Felicity!” Oliver commanded.

Felicity reached for the frying pan again and grumbled, “Fine… but if I kill him that’s on you.”

“Yes, dear,” Oliver replied dryly.

“I’m fully aware you are placating me,” Felicity tossed back.

“Felicity…” Oliver pressed. “Time is kind of a thing here.”

Diggle and Lyla tossed bemused expressions at one another.  

“Okay okay. One cerebral hemorrhage coming up,” Felicity answered as she hit the guard for the third time. The murmuring stopped, and Felicity bit her lip nervously. She bent to check his pulse and sighed with relief when she found one. Felicity went to her fridge and took out a can of whipped cream. Then, she ran the key card through the slot, and the door opened to an empty hall.

“Okay, I’m out,” she whispered.

“Be careful,” Oliver answered.

Felicity walked slowly down the main corridor, but it was deserted. Deciding stairs were safer, she opened the door to the main stairwell and listened for any sound. She scooted around the edge of the wall, behind the security camera hanging in the corner of the stairwell. She shook the whipped cream can and sprayed it over the camera lens. Satisfied her image was blocked, Felicity made her way up the stairs stopping at each camera to cover it with whipped cream. It wouldn’t buy her a lot of time, but hopefully it would be enough.

She walked onto the top floor of H.I.V.E. headquarters, heading directly to mission control. It was late, well past midnight, but Felicity stopped short when she saw a handful of guards still working.

“Sorry guys. Looks like they have 24-hour shifts, I won’t be able to access anything from the main hub,” Felicity whispered hoarsely as she walked away from the mission control quickly.

She rounded a corner and headed down another long corridor. Luckily, there was less security around the floor. The corridor was lined with several doors. Felicity swiped her card through one of them, and to her surprise, discovered it was an office… with a computer.

“Bingo,” Felicity said as she raised her voice to a louder speaking tone.  She sat down at the computer and quickly accessed the mainframe.

“Can you get me some schematics?” Oliver asked.

“Already done. Check your phone. Huh…that’s weird,” Felicity murmured.

“What?” Oliver asked.

“Sorry, it’s just… these schematics. There aren’t any servers on the island.”

“So?” Penelope asked.

“So… that’s weird. If you’re running a global terrorist network servers come in handy,” Felicity explained.

“She doesn’t have much time. What about The Box?” Penelope pressed.

Felicity asked, “What am I looking for?”

Diggle looked at Penelope who shrugged helplessly. “Honestly, I have no idea. Whatever intel we had on The Box was just rumor -”

“Forget it. I’m already there,” Felicity interrupted, and Oliver smiled with pride. “Whatever this thing is it has some major security on the back end.”

“Can you override it?” Oliver asked.

There was silence for a moment as Felicity furiously typed away. “No. Too many fail safes.” Her father knew every possible security protocol and every hack around the protocols. There was no way she was hacking through, not in this amount of time.

“I have to enter the password. That’s the only way,” Felicity explained.

“How many tries?” Diggle asked.

“Three. Before the whole system is shut down, and I have what I’ll imagine is not so pleasant knocking at my door,” Felicity murmured as she began typing. “Feel free to offer suggestions.”

“What about YHWH?” Diggle offered. “That was the name of the H.I.V.E. project Andy was investigating.”

“We think it may have been the codeword for The Box,” Penelope added.

“Actually…” Diggle said hesitantly and glanced at Oliver who gave a nod of agreement. “We think the project referenced you, Felicity. Turns out H.I.V.E. was watching you for years.”

Diggle noticed Felicity’s silence at this revelation, and it prompted him to ask, “Felicity? Did you hear me?”

Felicity cleared her throat and answered, “Yeah. Sorry. Just a lot to… process.”

Penelope looked surprised and asked, “What does YHWH have to do with Felicity?”

Diggle and Oliver looked at one another helplessly before Diggle answered, “That much we don’t know. We just know that it does.”

Felicity swallowed hard and immediately typed FELICITY into the password. It was rejected. She typed DONNA, and it was rejected. She sighed and rubbed her eyes before she said, “Well, I burned the first two guesses. I’m open to suggestions.”

Nothing but silence on the other end. The moon was high in the night sky, casting a pale light across the keyboard. Felicity turned in her chair to face it. After a moment of thought she murmured, “It’s a tetragrammaton.”

“What?” Oliver asked.

“It’s not Y-H-W-H,” Felicity corrected, spelling each letter individually. “It’s a tetragrammaton for God. The Jewish people were so afraid to take the Lord’s name in vain they stopped saying it all together. The name that cannot be spoken,” Felicity explained. She turned back to the computer.

“So… you’re God in this scenario?” Penelope asked skeptically.

“It’s not me. It is, but it isn’t,” Felicity answered.

“Well, that clears it right up,” Penelope shot back.

“Quiet. Listen,” Oliver ordered, and Penelope fell silent.

Hesitantly Felicity said, “From what I know about Damien Darhk, tetragrammaton refers to him. Not me. It’s about how he views himself in relation to everyone else.”

“As God?” Oliver asked.

“Yes… or someone even God would fear,” Felicity said as she closed her eyes in despair. She whispered, “I know what it is. I know the password.”

_***What Kind of Man by Florence and The Machine_

Slowly, Felicity typed FREEDOM into the computer. Immediately, the screen flicked through several screens before landing on the mainframe of The Box.

“I’m in,” Felicity said.

As she explored the program, a sickening feeling developed in the pit of Felicity’s stomach. The power within the program, interwoven in the zeroes and ones, was obvious. Felicity knew what this program could do. It was more truth than a hunch.  It was simply too horrific to conceive of, which is why she knew without a doubt that her father had created the inconceivable. Felicity took a deep breath and typed a few keystrokes. Almost immediately, she was at the NASA mainframe. With a frown, Felicity shifted to larger targets. The Federal Reserve was next. then the Defense Intelligence Agency and finally the Department of Defense. After easily accessing the Pentagon, Felicity expanded her attempts to international institutions. She entered Mossad and Yongbyon Nuclear Scientific Research Center without so much as a password. Felicity shifted her focus back to the United States with the Office of Personnel Management and the Interior Department. When she accessed the NSA, however, and the Gold Codes were staring her right in the face, Felicity's hands began to shake.

“Holy frack,” Felicity whispered.

“What is it? Is it a weapon?” Penelope demanded.

“Well, if nuclear weapons meet your definition of weapons, then yes,” Felicity answered.

“H.I.V.E. has its own nuclear weapon?” Diggle asked.

“It has all the nuclear weapons,” Felicity said.

“Okay. That sounds worse,” Oliver answered.

“It is worse. Darhk built something that can hack any system anywhere. I’m looking at nuclear launch codes for the United States and North Korea,” Felicity answered, shoving her chair away from the computer like was on fire.

“Can you disable it?” Penelope asked.

“Maybe. If the schematics are correct, there are no servers on this island. It means The Box only exists on the network. I could pull it off, but it’s going to take time.”

The lights flicked on, and Felicity turned around to see Damien Darhk with several guards.

“Time you don’t have, my dear,” Damien said.

The line went dead.

“Felicity? Felicity!” Oliver shouted in panic.

“She’s gone,” Diggle answered, his voice heavy with dread.

Oliver back away from the table. He slammed his fist into the wall in a fit of rage.

_***America by XYLO_

Damien walked around the desk and tipped his head, almost thoughtfully, as he saw what Felicity accessed.

“Did you hack it?” Damien asked.

Felicity shook her head, and Damien nodded in acceptance of her answer. “You guessed the password?”

“Yes. You’re not the only one who’s done their homework.”

Damien chuckled and said, “I’m impressed.”

“Nuclear war? That’s your idea of freedom?” Felicity asked disgusted.

Damien rolled his eyes and said, “You said you did your homework. You really think nuclear war is my ultimate endgame?”

“I don’t know what your endgame is. You’re a lunatic,” Felicity answered.

Damien said, “What I want is freedom for all people, freedom from the people and things that keep them under control. I want to disable every global institution - from financial systems to government agencies. People will only be free when there is an absence of power. What I want is a fire sale.”

“Those are only theoretical. You can’t-”

“Can’t I? Look at what I’ve built Felicity. Twenty years of bribery, murder and infiltrating H.I.V.E. into every major economy has built an unstoppable code. I can infiltrate any global system I desire.”

Damien stroked the keys lovingly and said, “I named it Pandora’s Box because this system can access the world’s evils. It can control the world’s evils. I can enact change on a global level, like the very hand of -”

“God?” Felicity finished for him.

“Yes.”

“And the fact you can access any nuclear launch system from anywhere in the globe is just a happy accident?” Felicity asked.

“All superpowers will be rendered powerless, but change breeds resistance, Felicity. The nuclear systems are a last resort, but I am prepared to use force, if necessary.”

“And make yourself a superpower. This fire sale doesn’t eliminate power. It only elevates yours above all others,” Felicity argued.

Damien said, “Don’t you see why it was safe to finally come out of hiding? Why we can finally be together? I can protect you from any Ra’s Al Ghul, any army, any government, any country. There’s nowhere in the world I cannot protect you.”

“So where were you six months ago? When Ra’s Al Ghul was coming after me? After the people I loved?” Felicity demanded.

“He wasn’t coming after you. He was coming after Oliver. The Box was nowhere near ready. Revealing myself in your defense would have only put you in harm’s way,” Damien explained.

“Or you’re just a coward hiding behind machines,” Felicity seethed. “I don’t want your protection. I never did. What I wanted was a father."

Damien emphatically said, “This was supposed to be our time for that. I could be your father, if you’d let me.

"It’s too late,” Felicity answered, tears springing to her eyes.

Damien answered sadly, “I was hoping we could do this together. That the girl who created that glorious virus could see the heroism in what I am doing.”

“I don’t need you to define what a hero is. I work with them every day. And trust me, you are the furthest thing from it. I will never work with you,” Felicity responded firmly, but calmly.

Damien nodded, “I know that now. I know no matter how much time I give you… you’ll only betray me… like you did now. Daughter or not, betrayal must be punished.”

At his signal, the guards descended on Felicity. Despite giving the order, Damien turned away unable to watch as they zip tied his daughter’s wrists together.

“I’m a little old to ground,” Felicity sniped.

“This is simply to control you. Your punishment will be watching your loved ones die.”

Felicity’s eyes widened in horror. Damien shook his head regretfully and said, “You should have left well enough alone Felicity, but you’ve left me no choice.”

“To do what?” Felicity asked fearfully.

“To teach you a lesson,” Damien approached Felicity carefully and gently wiped away a tear as he said, “Life will strip away everything and everyone you love. The sooner you learn that the better.”

_***Up In Flames by Sam Tinnesz (feat. Maggie Eckford)_

The combination of Lyla’s trace and Penelope’s data narrowed down the field of possible islands until they were certain they found the correct one: a small island belonging to the cluster of Phoenix Islands, located halfway between Hawaii and Fiji in the south Pacific. Penelope reasoned it was the perfect location to station H.I.V.E.’s headquarters yet remain reasonably close to the United States.

“We need a plane,” Oliver said anxiously.

“Let me handle that. I have a few contacts at Ferris Aircraft,” Lyla answered.

“Still, taking H.I.V.E. is going to require a little more manpower than just the four of us,” Penelope added. “Let me do some digging. With this intel, I might be able to drum up a little CIA help. ”

“Good. The sooner we get down there the better,” Diggle answered as he led Penelope to the door.

Just as he was about to open it, Diggle paused. Oliver had the same strange look on his face.

“Oliver? You okay?” Diggle asked.

Oliver didn’t answer. His eyes were scanning the room, like a predator on the hunt. Diggle recognized the behavior and felt his body tense in response. As Oliver turned around the room, Diggle began to speak again, but Oliver held up a hand to silence him. Diggle realized Oliver wasn’t scanning the room like a predator, but rather like prey searching for a threat. Finally, when Oliver faced Diggle he could see fear flickering in his eyes.

“Everybody down!” Oliver shouted. He instantly lunged for Lyla and Diggle reached for Penelope, throwing his body over her.

BOOM!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BOLD: Contest Winners. I held polls on my blog that allowed readers to choose certain aspects in the story - from songs to wedding selections. Contest winners are revealed in their first appearance in the story. All contest winners will be published in the final chapter.
> 
> ***Songs I listened to while writing the scene.
> 
> The story is finished. I am posting chapters as my editor finishes edits. 12 Chapters total. 175 pages.

_***See What I’ve Become by Zack Hemsley_

There was nothing but stillness and silence… until a ring began to sound in Diggle’s ear like a bell calling him back from the dead. Instead of light, though, he awoke to darkness, black, thick, foggy darkness. Smoke. He coughed and coughed again. Diggle felt something warm and sticky flowing down his face. Blood. Everywhere on his body was warm. Too warm. Heat. Fire.

Diggle forced his body to move. His felt pain all over, but nothing was broken. Slowly he rolled to his side, careful to keep low to the ground. He saw nothing but black smoke and flames as the fire from the explosion engulfed the home he built with Lyla, ravaging it like a starved beast.

_Lyla. Sara._

The thought of his girls trapped launched Diggle to his feet, but the sudden movement made him woozy. He turned and saw Penelope slouched against the doorframe, the door blown out. She was conscious, but with a serious head wound.

“Can you move?” Diggle shouted. He coughed as the smoke gagged his lungs. Penelope nodded.

“My wife?” Diggle asked pleadingly.

Penelope coughed and raised a single finger and pointed to deeper inside the apartment, behind the wall of smoke collecting in front of John.

“Go!” Diggle commanded.

Penelope turned and slowly began to crawl outside the apartment, as Diggle lowered himself to the ground to search for Lyla. It didn’t take him long to find her, even in the blackness. His fingers brushed against the soft cotton of her sweater. She was unconscious, but as Diggle pulled himself over her to shield her from the sparks from the flames, he realized it was much worse. Lyla wasn’t breathing.

The smoke was rising rapidly, filling the apartment as the flames swirled around the edges. The curtains caught fire as the flames spread to the family room. In a matter of minutes the entire apartment would be engulfed.

 _Sara_.

Diggle made a move towards Sara’s bedroom. The door still shut, but Diggle froze and turned back to Lyla. She wasn’t breathing, and he didn’t know for how long she’d gone without oxygen. He had to get her out. Diggle felt a sickening dread settle in his stomach.

There wasn’t time to save both. He had to choose. The moment John realized this was the moment he wanted to die.

A wall of flames built around the family room, building so rapidly it almost reached the ceiling. Then, appearing from nowhere, Oliver jumped through the flames. He landed deftly next to Lyla and Diggle. His shirt was torn, and there was a deep gash on the side of his arm, but otherwise Oliver was unhurt.  His eyes were bright and alert as they flicked from Lyla to Diggle and around the room, assessing their options in a matter of seconds.

Oliver put his hand on Diggle’s shoulder and said calmly, “Go.”

Diggle shook his head, “Sara… I can't… Oliver…”

“John, look at me. Get Lyla out. I will get Sara,” Oliver commanded firmly. A flicker of doubt flashed through John’s eyes, and he looked back towards Sara’s room. “John, I swear to God. I am not leaving without your daughter. GO!”

Diggle nodded and gathered Lyla in his arms. As he made his way out of the apartment, he turned back to watch as Oliver kicked down the door to Sara’s room and disappeared behind the wall of smoke and flames engulfing the rest of the apartment.

Diggle took the stairs down to the lowest level, where Penelope was waiting. The other tenants had already begun evacuating the building and John could hear the sound of sirens in the distance. He laid Lyla gently down on the cold, hard ground and began CPR.

“Come, Lyla, breathe. Breathe,” Diggle commanded fervently as he pumped Lyla’s chest furiously as Penelope breathed oxygen into her lungs.

“Breathe baby. Come breathe, damn it!” Diggle shouted, the fear of losing her swelling into a powerful rage, but Lyla didn’t respond.

After Oliver kicked down the door, he immediately shut it behind him to stop the spread of the flames and smoke from engulfing Sara’s room. It bought him some time, but not much. Oliver crouched low to the ground, his lungs seizing what little air there was left. His eyes scanned the room and zeroed in on the crib. The blast knocked it over and it was pushed up against the wall. Sara was nowhere to be seen. Oliver crawled to the crib and for a moment tried to prepare himself for what he was about to see.

The sirens were getting closer, but John knew they’d be too late. He pressed a steady beat onto Lyla’s chest, hoping to reawaken her still heart. Penelope pulled back from breathing into Lyla and gave John a helpless look.

“John… she’s not responding,” Penelope said.

Ignoring her, John took over breathing into Lyla’s lungs. Still nothing. All his training, his years in the army… nothing had prepared him for this.

Oliver steeled himself and pulled the crib away from the wall. There, under the cocoon of the mattress tipped against the wall, crouched in the corner, was Sara. Unhurt and terrified. Oliver froze. The last time Sara saw him, he terrorized her and Lyla. He didn’t want to frighten her more than she already was. Sara looked up at Oliver with tear-stained eyes and simply raised her arms to him. Instinctively he reached for her, scooping her up safely into his arms. He grabbed a blanket, covered Sara’s head to protect her from the flames and made his way to the window.  The Diggles’ apartment was several stories up and there was no fire escape on the side of Sara’s bedroom.

“Great,” Oliver muttered.

He went to the closet, but couldn’t find a ladder. The apartment was surely engulfed by now. The smoke was growing thicker inside Sara’s room by the second, and the flames were licking under the door. Oliver was out of time.

Diggle breathed a final breath into Lyla’s lungs before sitting back exhausted. The sweat trickled down his forehead, intermixing with the tears spilling down his face. In a final act of frustration and grief, he slammed a fist down on Lyla’s chest. Finally, she gasped for air.

“Lyla?” Diggle whispered anxiously.

Lyla’s eyes flickered opened, and she moaned in pain as she coughed up the thick black smoke.

“Sara… where’s Sara?” Lyla whispered groggily.

Diggle looked to Penelope and ordered, “Stay with her. I’m going back for them.”

“No! John, it’s too dangerous -”

BOOM!

A secondary explosion blew out the windows of the Diggles’ apartment. The entire top floor was now engulfed in flames.

“Oh my God,” Diggle whispered horrified.

Fully conscious, Lyla rolled to her side and looked up at the apartment as she screamed, “Sara!”

Diggle collapsed to his knees, next to his wife, as they watched their home, with their child inside, burn to the ground.

“What is that?” Penelope asked. “Is there someone on the side of the building?”

_***Breathe In Breathe Out by Matt Kearney_

Diggle and Lyla looked over to where Penelope was pointing. Oliver was scaling down the brick wall from the top floor. Sara was tied securely around him, the blanket looped into a perfect harness. He slowly and expertly traversed the side of the wall by slipping his fingers into the cracks, holding on with almost inhuman strength and using the ledges of the apartment windows to lower himself down.

“Who is this guy?” Penelope asked astounded by Oliver’s ability.

“A friend,” Diggle replied.

Finally, Oliver reached a fire escape and landed easily on it. He looked down at Sara, who was clinging to his shirt.

“Now… that is the only time you’re going to do that. Understood?” Oliver said firmly, but gently, and Sara offered him a little smile.

He made his way down the fire escape swiftly and over to Diggle and Lyla. Oliver quickly handed Sara to Lyla’s open arms. With tears streaming down her face, she examined Sara for injuries. Once she was certain Sara was fine, she hugged her closely to her chest. Diggle gathered both Lyla and Sara in his arms,held them tight and pressed his lips to Lyla’s head. Looking over Lyla, his eyes met Oliver’s and, for a moment, the two men simply regarded one another in silence. Words were not necessary.

“Everybody alright?” Oliver asked.

“I think so. What the hell was that?” Penelope answered.

“A bomb,” Oliver answered grimly.

“The CIA trains you conceptually about bombs on The Farm but in action they really suck,” Penelope said. “Not to rush to judgement, but my suspect list isn’t very long.”

Diggle said angrily. “Darhk must be watching us.”

“Now what?” Penelope asked.

“Now we get to a plane and end this,” Oliver said.

“Can I ask… where did you learn how to scale a building?” Penelope asked.

“College,” Oliver answered and winked at Diggle and Lyla.

An EMT approached them and asked, “Is everyone okay here?”

“No, my wife needs to get checked out,” Diggle answered.

“John, I’m fine,” Lyla protested.

“No, you’re not. You’re going to the hospital and then… you’re taking Sara and getting out of town,” Diggle ordered.

“No, I am not -”

“Lyla, I almost lost both of you tonight. We lost our home tonight. We can’t take anymore chances. Not with Sara,” Diggle pleaded.

Lyla nodded in agreement and answered, “Okay. I have a friend, a pilot at Ferris, who can help. ”

“I’ll start rallying some troops at my end,” Penelope added.

Diggle helped Lyla into the ambulance so the EMT could examine her. As Lyla handed Sara to Diggle, a look of confusion came over her face.

“What?” Diggle asked.

“I don’t know… I think… I think I saw something before the explosion,” Lyla answered hesitantly.

“What?” Diggle asked again.

Lyla thought for a moment and then pressed her hand up to her head, “I can't… I can’t remember.”

“You took a hard hit, soldier. I think you just need to rest. Okay?” Diggle answered softly.

Lyla nodded and kissed Sara softly on the head before settling on the stretcher.

“You’re right. I should rest. It was probably nothing.”

_***Wicked Ones by Dorothy_

With Lyla and Sara cleared by a doctor and safely out of town, the team left for H.I.V.E. headquarters. The clear skies of the morning light made an incident-free flight, however, the bright sun and blue skies did little to hide their arrival. Settled in the back of a small cargo plane, Laurel, dressed as Black Canary, and Thea, dressed as Speedy, listened quietly as Diggle went over the plan.

“Penelope and her team are meeting on the south end. We’ll converge in the center here. Everybody good?” Diggle asked when he finished.

“Just one question… how are we landing without alerting H.I.V.E.? Security is pretty tight,” Laurel asked.

“We don’t land,” Diggle said with a grin.

Oliver tossed both women parachutes and smiled. Laurel and Thea exchanged glances with raised eyebrows. Diggle made his way to the pilot.

“Thanks for the ride, Hal. You’ll need to keep circling, but if we’re not out in 30 minutes…we’re not coming out,” Diggle explained.

Hal Jordan nodded and answered, “Affirm… but just so we’re clear, I’m not leaving anyone behind. If you don’t radio in 30 minutes, I’m coming to get you.”

“Good man.”

Hal motioned to Laurel and Thea, “Lyla warned me the passengers were going to be… different.”

“Is that going to be a problem?” Diggle asked.

“Not at all. I like different. Especially masks,” Hal said as he winked at Diggle.

“By the way, how do you and Lyla know each other?” Diggle asked.

“Oh, we use to date!” Hal smiled. “How do you know Lyla? She didn’t say.”

“I’m her husband,” Diggle said firmly.

Hal’s smile faded as he said, “Oh. That’s awkward. If it makes you feel any better, it was just after her divorce. I think I was her transitional guy. Didn’t last long, but it’s hard to believe someone was married to Lyla and divorced her. Her ex-husband must be a real bozo.”

Diggle’s smile faded and Hal’s stopped chuckling. He nervously asked, “Do you know Lyla’s ex-husband?”

“You could say that.”

Hal paused and then asked, “You’re her ex-husband aren’t you?”

“Affirmative,” Diggle answered, not bothering to hide the irritation in his voice.

“I’m gonna shut up and fly the plane now.”

“That’d be wise, Hal.”

Diggle moved away from Oliver and tapped him on the shoulder. He handed Oliver his retractable bow and quiver.

“Thought you could use that,” Diggle said.

“It’s going to make the jump a hell of a lot more interesting,” Oliver teased.

“Just watch how you land,” Diggle shot back.

“Alright, I’m circling. We’re coming in hot, so this is gonna be fast. Ready?” Hal shouted over the engine roar.

Diggle gave Hal the thumbs up, and Oliver blew the door. He strapped on the parachute and looked at Diggle, Laurel and Thea.

“Be honest. You missed me,” Oliver said with a devilish grin just before he somersaulted backwards out of the plane.

_***Envy by Chevelle_

Felicity shifted uncomfortably on her the couch in her faux apartment. Under her father’s instructions, her H.I.V.E. guard zip-tied her wrists together. She struggled against the bands for hours. Not only was she unable to free herself, but she rubbed her skin raw. Now every time she shifted, she could feel a burning sensation trickle around the outer edges of her wrists. As the door to her faux apartment opened and her father entered with several guards, Felicity couldn’t help but feel like a hopeful six-year-old whose punishment was about to be over.

“What’s going on?” Felicity asked cautiously.

Damien grinned and said, “It’s fire-sale day. Your recent communication with your boyfriend -”

“Fiancée,” Felicity corrected.

Damien ignored her and continued, “Forced me to move up my timetable. I wanted you to be here as a new world is born… our new world.”

“There’s a House Hunters marathon on, so if it’s all the same, I’d rather skip it,” Felicity sarcastically answered.

Damien’s smile faded as he said, “So glib. It was more charming when you were six.”

“Yeah, well a lot of things were charming about me at six. At 26, the best you’ll get is quirky,” Felicity said dryly.

Damien tipped his head to the side thoughtfully and said, “Maybe this will get your attention.”

Two guards dragged Oliver in, beaten and zip cuffed.  

Felicity jumped up and cried out, “Oliver!” as she ran to him. Despite her cuffed hands, Felicity threw her arms over Oliver’s head and hugged him tightly, burying her head in his neck.

“Are you alright? Did they hurt you?” Oliver whispered.

Felicity shook her head and tearfully whispered, “No. You shouldn’t have come though.”

“That wasn’t an option,” Oliver answered, his voice deep and confident.

Felicity nodded tearfully and whispered, “I know” before she leaned up to kiss him softly. Damien signaled one of the guards and he pulled Felicity back roughly. Damien regarded Oliver carefully, walking a circle around him.

When Damien finally stood in front of Oliver, he hissed, “The great Al Sah-im… Heir to the Demon.”

Oliver looked Felicity, “That again? Seriously?”

Damien slapped Oliver across the face. Felicity jumped up again, but a guard blocked her from intervening. Oliver winced and spat out some blood, before meeting Damien’s eyes with a steely gaze.

“I gave you your last moment with her, Al Sah-him. Consider it a gift,” Damien seethed.

“For?”

“For killing my enemy,” Damien answered matter of factly.

“He was my enemy as well,” Oliver said calmly.

“Perhaps. Doesn’t change what you are,” Damien responded nonchalantly.

“Which is?”

“You are Al Sah-im -”

“My name is -”

“You may call yourself whatever you like, but you are still Al Sah-him. The Arrow lives in you like a twisted, gnarled wood. You are the anointed heir… by prophecy..by victory. I don’t care who you gift the ring to.”

“What is it that you want?”

“For starters? Your death,” Damien replied simply.

Felicity took a sharp breath inward, and the guard tightened his grip on her arm, but Damien remained focus on Oliver.

“If you touch him, I will end you,” Felicity seethed.

Damien looked at Felicity sadly and said, “Such love… such devotion is misplaced, Felicity, in one so undeserving… in one so unworthy.” He turned to face Oliver again and commanded, “Kneel.”

“What are you doing?” Felicity asked warily.

Damien looked Felicity sadly as he said, “I told you betrayal must be punished.”

The guards forced Oliver to his knees. One of them stepped forward and offered Damien Oliver’s bow and arrows, “We found this on him.”

Damien smiled slightly and looked down at Oliver, “I know why you embrace the bow and the arrow. It requires discipline. It is control over chaos.”

Damien pulled a gun from his suit pocket and balanced it carefully in his hand, studying it as he said, “I know you look at this gun and think it’s too emotional.. too chaotic. The truth is, you’re right.” Damien cocked the gun and pointed it at Oliver’s head, “but they are so damn efficient.”

Felicity shook the guard off her and shouted tearfully, “Dad! Please. No!”

Both Damien and Oliver froze. Oliver’s eyes flicked to Felicity and widened in shock. Damien closed his eyes. When he opened them, he took a deep breath and uncocked the gun, sliding it into his jacket pocket. He nodded to the guard, and they raised Oliver to his feet.

“It’s been twenty years since I’ve heard that voice call me Dad. An emotional ploy I am certain, but an effective one nonetheless,” Damien said softly. He stepped towards Oliver and said calmly, “  Perhaps now you can understand why I can never allow a world in which my daughter becomes wife to Al Sah-im. ”

“I can’t imagine you’d allow your daughter to become anyone’s wife,” Oliver answered as he glanced warily around the faux apartment. “You seem to have control issues.”

Damien chuckled a little and then thoughtfully answered, “Not true. I liked Ray Palmer.”

Oliver rolled his eyes and humorously retorted, “Now I know you’re evil.”

Damien stepped forward until he was mere inches from Oliver’s face. He lowered his voice to almost an eerie whisper and said, “This game started years ago. I know everything you don’t: the players, the moves. I’m ten steps ahead of you. While you’re busy figuring out the rules, I’ve already won. Don’t you see? You can’t protect her because you can’t protect yourself. You cannot conceive of the darkness that surrounds you.”

Oliver answered confidently, “I’ve never been afraid of the dark.”

“Let’s see what we can do about that,” Damien sneered.

Just then a series of alarms went off, and Felicity’s faux apartment lit up in red flickering lights. Damien whirled around to his guards as they communicated over their radios and phones.

“What is it?” he demanded.

“There’s been a breach… on the south end,” a H.I.V.E. agent responded.

Another voice radioed in, “We’re taking heavy fire on the north and west side. We need back up.”

“Sir, most of the agents are responding to the southern attack. What should I tell them?”

Damien turned to Oliver and said, “You?”

Oliver shrugged nonchalantly. Damien rolled his eyes as he said, “So irritating.” He turned his attention back to his guards and commanded them to varying directions.

“What about him?” a H.I.V.E. guard asked.

“Leave him. It’ll give my daughter the chance to say goodbye,” Damien answered, looking directly at Felicity.

She met her father’s gaze and without missing a beat said, “It’s funny. When Ra’s Al Ghul held us captive, he told me to say goodbye to Oliver too.”

Damien raised his eyebrows in surprise, “So that’s where you were. Kane lost you for a few days. I had no idea you were in Nanda Parbat. My child was before Basir’s very eyes, and he didn’t even know it. I’ll admit, I’m sorry I missed that. For curiosity’s sake, what was your response?”

Felicity tipped her head to the side, almost thoughtfully, and answered, “Oh, I didn’t have one to Ra’s. I just slept with Oliver instead.”

Oliver’s mouth dropped open slightly, and Damien’s smile quickly faded.

“Hmmm. I suppose that’s you being… how did you put it… quirky?”

“No, that’s me being honest… and a little bitchy. You have a long way to go before I get to quirky.”

“Trying to recapture your rebellious teenage years with me, Felicity, doesn’t impress,” Damien answered dryly.

Felicity stepped towards her father and glared at him, “You haven’t even begun to see my rebellious side… but hurt any of my friends, and you will. I will rip your world apart. Dad.”  

Damien flinched slightly at the emphasis Felicity placed on the word Dad, a bitter contrast to her earlier plea for mercy. He turned and left without another word. The H.I.V.E. agent lead Oliver to a chair and zip cuffed him to it. He then placed Felicity on an opposite chair, her back to Oliver’s, and zip cuffed her to the chair. Then, he unceremoniously left them.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BOLD: Contest Winners. I held polls on my blog that allowed readers to choose certain aspects in the story - from songs to wedding selections. Contest winners are revealed in their first appearance in the story. All contest winners will be published in the final chapter.
> 
> ***Songs I listened to while writing the scene.
> 
> The story is finished. I am posting chapters as my editor finishes edits. 12 Chapters total. 175 pages.

_***Follow You Down by Matthew Mayfield_

For a long time, neither Oliver or Felicity said anything. They sat in an uncomfortable silence, the bomb that was Damien Darhk, laying like shrapnel all around them.

Breaking the silence between them Felicity awkwardly said, “I’m sorry about the sex remark. It seemed -”

“We don’t need to talk about that,” Oliver interrupted firmly.

Breathing a sigh of relief Felicity said, “Okay. Good.”

“Rip your world apart?” Oliver asked.

Felicity sighed, “Your mom said it to me once. Scared the crap of out me, so I gave it a shot.”

“Got it. So…” Oliver said hesitantly.

“So…” Felicity responded.

“So that’s…your dad huh?” Oliver offered.

“Yeah,” Felicity said flatly. “Sorry he almost shot you. Guns are his way of introducing himself.”

“Not the first time someone’s father pulled a weapon on me. I tend to be unpopular with dads.”

“Well, you’re sort of their worst nightmare.”

“Really? How so?” Oliver asked, a teasing lightness in his voice. Felicity stifled a laugh, and Oliver smiled in return. The awkwardness was lifting as the tension finally broke between them. Oliver’s smile faded as he grew serious.

“Did you know?” he asked gently.

“Know what? That my father is a hundred-year-old assassin? That he’s Ra’s Al Ghul’s ex-best friend? That he’s a lunatic intent on global economic collapse that will probably lead to nuclear war? That he has an archaic perspective on marriage? One I’m fairly certain involves me and a cow. That he wants my fiancée dead? That he’s the leader of H.I.V.E.? That he killed…” Felicity stopped short unable to finish her ramble, the emotion choking her into silence.

“I’ll take that as a no.”

“I knew he was a hacker… a good one… probably the best. I knew he stole a lot of money from a lot of people. I knew he was a criminal, but anything I know about my father was either from a computer or the faded memory of a six-year-old girl. This… I can’t even conceive of all this.”

“You didn’t say anything on the phone because of John,” Oliver said softly. It wasn’t an accusation, but a statement of fact said with complete and total understanding. When Felicity didn’t answer, Oliver maneuvered his zip-cuffed wrists so his fingers could brush against hers. As she felt the warmth of his reassuring fingertips, Felicity closed her eyes as the tears dripped down her face.

“Do we have to talk about this?” Felicity asked, her voice pained.

“I’m not great at small talk,” Oliver answered softly.

“Well… try,” Felicity pressed.

“All I’m going to say is this,” Oliver started, his voice deep and firm. He sounded almost angry and Felicity felt her breath catch in anticipation. “This apartment is really weird,” he finished, his voice lightening again.

Felicity breathed a sigh of relief and allowed a chuckle. Feeling calmer, she said, “I’m starting to agree with your “islands suck” attitude.”

“This isn’t an island, Felicity. This is a Hilton,” Oliver answered dryly.

Growing serious Felicity asked, “Tell me you have some kind of plan.”

“There’s a plan,” Oliver answered confidently.

“Getting captured?”

“Part of the plan.”

“Almost getting shot?”

“Not part of the plan,” Oliver answered ruefully.

Felicity sighed exasperated a little, “I figured as much. Any particular reason you didn’t do anything to stop him?”

“I was waiting.”

“For?”

BOOM.  

_***My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light Em Up) by Fall Out Boy_

A huge explosion echoed down the halls of H.I.V.E. headquarters. The sound reverberated so loudly in Felicity’s faux apartment the walls shook, raining drywall and concrete dust all around them.

“For that,” Oliver answered satisfied and a little relieved.

“What the hell?” Felicity looked around her shocked.

“John, Thea and Laurel are making their way through H.I.V.E. headquarters setting charges. They’ve set off a couple to disorient Darhk’s forces so we can get out of here. ”

“You’re blowing up H.I.V.E?” Felicity asked stunned.

“Yeah.”

“I like it,” Felicity said pleased.

“I thought you might,” Oliver said.

“One problem: we’re zip-cuffed to these chairs,” Felicity said.

Immediately, Oliver stood up and turned to Felicity, kneeling as he broke her zip cuffs. Felicity’s mouth dropped open in stunned surprise. Oliver shrugged as he said, “Zip cuffs don’t work on me.”

“Yet another special skill to add to the resume,” Felicity answered dryly, and Oliver winked at her. He offered his hand and pulled Felicity up. When he saw the raw skin on her wrists, Oliver’s mouth tightened into an angry frown. Felicity gently touched his face and said reassuringly, “Hey. I’m okay.”

Oliver nodded, refocusing as he said, “We need to move.”

“Agreed… but we’re still stuck. That door is locked and only a key card can open it.”

“Can you override it?”

“Sure… on the other side where the panel is… but if we were on the other side then I wouldn’t need to override it,” Felicity answered pointedly.

Each paused to give the other exasperated looks. After a beat, Oliver said thoughtfully, “How thorough was your father in duplicating your apartment?”

“What do you mean?”

Wordlessly, Oliver went to the kitchen and immediately began to open up the cupboards.  Pleased to see they were filled with supplies he said, “Pretty thorough.”

Felicity watched as Oliver began pulling supplies from the cabinet, specifically cleaning products including a large bottle of ammonia. He opened another adjacent cabinet and removed a first-aid kit. Oliver scanned the room quickly, and his eyes settled on Felicity’s desk and chair. He flipped the desk over, and Felicity jumped a little in response. Oliver quickly removed a desk leg and then flipped the chair, removing a smaller tubular piece that was closed on one end. He methodically poured the ammonia and iodine from the first-aid kit into the cylinder from the chair. Then he unscrewed the cap off the desk leg, so he could slip the smaller tube inside it. Finally, Oliver grabbed a fire extinguisher and expertly fitted the desk leg into the discharge nozzle. He looked at Felicity expectantly. She swallowed hard before sliding down behind the counter, covering her ears.

Oliver paused briefly before aiming the fire extinguisher at the door and said, “Hey.”

Felicity peeked over the counter and answered, “Yeah?”

“Your mom likes me right?” Oliver asked nervously.

Felicity rolled her eyes and slid back down as she said, “Yes, Oliver!”

Satisfied, Oliver launched the homemade missile. The explosion was deafening but effective. Oliver stepped around the counter and pulled Felicity up from the floor. He took her hand and led her past the debris through the blown-out door.

As she walked through the door, Felicity muttered to herself, “I’m marrying MacGyver.”

They’d only made it a few steps down the hall before seeing Penelope Lord and a legion of operatives. She looked stunned to find Oliver and Felicity.

“What are you doing here?” Oliver asked.

“Coming to rescue you… or not as the case may be. We’re supposed to rendezvous with John at the west end. Your masked friends, whoever they are, are finishing up on the north end.”

“Good. Let’s move,” Oliver commanded.

“Wait. I’m all in favor of blowing up H.I.V.E., but if we have any hope of prosecuting Damien Darhk, I need evidence,” Penelope said.

“She’s right, Oliver. It doesn’t matter how many buildings we blow up. As long as The Box is on the network, H.I.V.E. is still a threat,” Felicity agreed.

“Alright, then we go to the control room,” Oliver said.

“And leave John by himself? Darhk’s agents are pouring into the west side of the building, Oliver. I’ll take Felicity to the control room. You take half my guys and meet up with John.”

Oliver hesitated and Felicity reached up to touch his face reassuringly. “Hey,” she said. “I got this. Go help Digg. I’ll be alright.”

Oliver nodded reluctantly and looked at Penelope as he said, “Alright, but take all the men. I’m good.”

“You sure?” Penelope asked skeptically.

“Yes, I want Felicity protected. You get in, and you get out? Understood?” Oliver ordered firmly.

“Fine… but take this,” Penelope handed Oliver a radio.

“I have my team on comms,” Oliver said, tapping his ear piece.

Penelope nodded, "I know, but my team is on the radio. This way we can keep tabs on you."

As Oliver wired up, Felicity paused and asked, “You know you’re whole ‘I’m the weapon’ thing?”

“Yeah?”

“As hot as that is, I’d feel much better if you actually had a weapon right now,” Felicity said.

Penelope smiled a little and handed Oliver a gun. He slipped it behind him and cocked his head to the side bemused and asked, “That’s hot?”

“Yes. Very,” Felicity answered slyly, winking at Oliver.

“Listen, do you guys want to finish your flirt-a-thon a little later? You know, when we’re not trying to blow up H.I.V.E.?” Penelope interrupted impatiently.

Felicity turned to follow Penelope, but Oliver called out to her, “Hey.”

Felicity turned, and he took two steps to cross the distance between them. He placed his hands gently, but confidently, on her face and kissed her softly. Pressing his forehead to hers Oliver whispered, “Be careful.”

As they separated, Penelope put a reassuring hand on Felicity’s shoulder and said to Oliver, “Don’t worry. I’ll watch her back.”

_***Fifteen Minutes by Robbie Nevil_

Oliver moved swiftly through the halls of H.I.V.E.  As he took on H.I.V.E. agent after H.I.V.E. agent with little difficulty and without the gun, Oliver realized the time away from the field had done nothing to slow his reflexes. As he moved into the north corridor, however, he froze. Body after body of slain H.I.V.E. agents laid before him. At the end of the hall, Oliver saw Speedy raising a knife to slit yet another agent’s throat.

“Speedy!” Oliver called out in horror.

The sound of his commanding voice stopped Thea cold. As she raised her eyes to meet Oliver’s, he recognized the crazed look in her eye. It was the same look she had when Ra’s Al Ghul raised her from the Lazarus Pit.

_“The waters change a person… in the soul.”_

Malcolm Merlyn’s words echoed in Oliver’s mind and washed over him like a cold wave. He felt like he did when he first plunged into the ocean while the Queen’s Gambit was sinking: his world irrevocably changed, cold to the bone and in shock, like he was drowning all over again. He approached Thea slowly, and she faced him defiantly, almost like a wild animal.

“Speedy…” Oliver whispered, the words still difficult.

“I was fighting them,” Thea hissed back.

“This isn’t how we fight. This isn’t how you fight,” Oliver argued. “You’re not a -”

“A murderer? Like you? Hate to break it to you bro, but I am. At least this time, I’m killing people who actually deserve it,” Thea answered, her voice even and measured but cold – almost hollow – like a piece of her was missing.

“Thea…”

“Laurel and I were separated. I better find her. We’re rendezvousing in 10 minutes in the main hall,” Thea said as she sheathed her knife and adjusted the bow strapped across her back. “Don’t be late.”

As she scampered off, Oliver stood among the dead still speechless. He couldn’t process the image of his baby sister slitting throats. Worse, he knew Malcolm Merlyn was right. This wasn’t his Thea. He didn’t know who that was.

He was distracted. It was the only explanation why he didn’t sense it. White blinding pain seared through his head and blood trickled down as Oliver turned to face his attacker. A fist to the abdomen knocked the wind out of him and forced Oliver to his knees. As Oliver looked up at Damien Darhk, he realized the reason didn’t matter. Being distracted gave Darhk the upper hand he needed.

Penelope and Felicity made their way to the main control center, Penelope’s CIA agents entered the room first and a battle erupted. As the sound of gunfire and combat filled the hall, Penelope offered fire cover while Felicity kept her back pressed against the wall. A H.I.V.E. agent came around the corner and raised his gun to Felicity. With lightening-quick reflexes, Penelope pivoted and shot him directly in the head. He fell harmlessly at Felicity’s feet.

“Thanks,” Felicity said gratefully.

Penelope shrugged and said, “No problem.”

A CIA agent shouted, “Clear.”

Penelope smiled reassuringly, “Okay, computer whiz, you’re on.”

Felicity moved purposely into the control center and chose a computer.

“How long do you need?” Penelope asked.

“Ten minutes would be ideal, but you’re going to tell me I have five, so I’ll do it in three. Sound good?” Felicity answered firmly as she furiously typed.

Penelope raised her eyebrows impressed, “Yeah. I’m good with three.”

“Good.”

“You aren’t getting past the firewall in three if Damien changed the password.”

“Luckily for me he didn’t,” Felicity said.

“That's… surprising,” Penelope responded.

“Yeah, well he’s pretty arrogant.”

“Sounds like you’ve gotten to know him pretty well,” Penelope added cautiously.

“I know him about as well as anyone I guess… which isn’t much,” Felicity muttered bitterly.

“Captivity breeds familiarity, I guess,” Penelope said casually, a bemused smile on her face, as she scanned the room. One of her agents gave her the signal for all clear.

“So does genetics,” Felicity answered.

Penelope turned to face Felicity, stunned, her smile fading.

“What did you just say?”

As Oliver kneeled before Damien, blooding trickling down his forehead, Drahk let the lead pipe he used on Oliver fall to the floor. He pulled a sword from a sheath and raised it to Oliver’s neck.

“I do not believe in stabbing an enemy in the back. For all your faults, Oliver… you deserve an honorable death.”

A whizzing sound zipped through the air as Damien swiped the sword towards Oliver’s neck. Just before the blade made contact with his skin, Oliver bent back and the sword sailed parallel over his body harmlessly. Without missing a beat, Oliver tucked and rolled his body backwards, putting distance between him and Darhk. He jumped to his feet and pulled out the gun.

“Shouldn’t bring a knife to a gunfight, Darhk,” Oliver quipped.

“Coming from the man who chooses arrows for his weapon of choice,” Damien mocked.

“I fire arrows as fast as bullets,” Oliver answered confidently.

Damien dropped the sword and pulled out a gun, “Luckily I brought both but…” Damien looked down at the gun and dropped it to the ground as he said, “do we really need weapons for this?”

Oliver uncocked the gun and set it to the ground as he answered, “No.”

Damien sailed towards Oliver and the two began fighting hand-to-hand. Their speed and ability were nearly equal. What Oliver lacked in experience, he made up in youth and strength. Oliver delivered a hard blow to Damien's jaw and it forced the old assassin to his knees. He quickly rebounded by swiping his feet under Oliver's, and Oliver fell to the ground. Simultaneously, the two men back-flipped to their feet and faced off again.

"Ra's taught you well."

"He taught me the sword. Not how to fight," Oliver answered through gritted teeth.

Damien kicked Oliver hard, and he flew backwards, but quickly balanced himself. He met Damien's punches with a series of blows and blocks of his own. Both were growing winded, but neither were backing down.

Felicity downloaded The Box onto a USB drive Penelope gave her. Penelope looked at her warily.

"You got it?"

"Enough to put him away for the rest of his life," Felicity answered.

"The Box?"

"I pulled it off, but without access to the servers, I can't wipe it from the network permanently."

"Meaning?"

"All he needs to do is load it back on," Felicity said grimly as she looked at the USB drive.

"We can't let him get his hands on that USB drive… can we?" Penelope asked, her voice heavy with worry.

Felicity shook her head and answered grimly, "No."

"Then we need to move you. NOW," Penelope said as a new wave of H.I.V.E. agents began to flood into the hallway. " Our three minutes is up."

In a fit of frustration, Damien charged Oliver and threw his whole body weight against him as he wrapped his arms around Oliver's waist. It sent Oliver crashing into the wall. Damien raised his hands to Oliver's throat and began choking him. At that moment, Penelope's voice crackled through Oliver's radio.

"Oliver? We're moving to the entry way. We have The Box."

Damien looked at the radio in shock, his brow furrowed in confusion. This time, Damien’s distraction gave Oliver the window he needed, and he capitalized on it. Oliver slipped his hands between Damien's forearms and using all his strength, forced Damien's hands apart, freeing his neck. Oliver kicked Damien hard in the abdomen and then followed it up with a series of punches that left him bloodied and on his knees. Oliver grasped Damien's shirt collar, to hold him steady as he delivered a knockout blow. Before his fist made contact, however, Damien looked up at Oliver and started to laugh. He smiled at Oliver, his teeth gleaming blood; a hollow, eerie and cold chuckle emitted deeply in his throat. Fist mid-air, Oliver froze.

"You are such an idiot," Damien said, the chuckle and smile fading. What replaced it, Oliver could only call fear.

"What?"

"You put her in the crosshairs, and you don't even realize it," Damien answered cryptically. "You killed her."

 

 


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BOLD: Contest Winners. I held polls on my blog that allowed readers to choose certain aspects in the story - from songs to wedding selections. Contest winners are revealed in their first appearance in the story. All contest winners will be published in the final chapter.
> 
> ***Songs I listened to while writing the scene.
> 
> The story is finished. I am posting chapters as my editor finishes edits. 12 Chapters total. 175 pages.

_***Hurricane by Thirty Seconds To Mars_

Felicity, Penelope and her agents moved quickly into the main entry corridor of H.I.V.E. headquarters. The entry was clear of H.I.V.E. agents but Penelope ordered her team to form a perimeter. The upper floors of H.I.V.E. circled around the entry hall, and a winding staircase ran along the outer edges, connecting the floors above. Penelope’s agents kept their guns trained upwards, anticipating H.I.V.E. agents any second.

“Give me the USB drive. This isn’t a safe point. If the H.I.V.E. agents get the high ground, we’ll be sitting ducks. I’d rather they shoot at me than you,” Penelope said. She held out her hand to Felicity expectantly. Felicity pulled the USB drive out of her pocket, but hesitated before handing it to Penelope. She noticed Felicity’s hesitation and said reassuringly, “Felicity, that drive is like walking around with target on your back. My job is to keep you safe. I made a promise to Oliver. You can trust me.”

“No, she can’t.”

Felicity heard the clicking of a gun cocking behind her, and she froze. Penelope’s eyes flicked over her shoulder, and her eyes fell upon Lyla, with dozens of ARGUS agents spilling into the entry hall behind her.

Lyla kept the gun trained on Penelope and said, “Not by a long shot.”

Felicity turned slowly to face Lyla. Confused she asked, “Lyla? What are you doing here?”

“I remembered what I saw,” Lyla answered calmly. She was speaking over Felicity directly to Penelope. “You reacted  _before_ the bomb went off. You flinched.”

Oliver threw Damien against the wall and demanded, "What the hell are you talking about?”

“That was Penelope Lord’s voice over your comms, wasn’t it?” Damien asked.

“Yes,” Oliver answered. “She was Andrew Diggle’s partner. Remember him? The man you had killed?”

Damien said, “I killed Andrew Diggle. That’s true. Penelope Lord was his handler, but she’s not CIA. She’s one of mine. She’s H.I.V.E. ”

Felicity stood in the middle of Penelope and Lyla, the USB drive in her hand. Lyla looked cautiously at Penelope and then reassuringly said, “Felicity… I want you to walk to me.”

Penelope sighed irritated. She pulled her gun from her back pocket and trained it on Felicity, “Yeah. That’s not gonna happen.”

The ARGUS agents raised their guns to Penelope, and Lyla confidently said, “You’re outnumbered, Lord. Drop the gun.”

Penelope chuckled and snapped her fingers. The agents forming the perimeter around her and Felicity immediately turned inward and trained their guns on Lyla, Felicity and the ARGUS agents. “No, I’m really not, Lyla.”

Oliver released Damien and through gritted teeth said, "Start talking.”

Damien straightened his tie and suit as he explained, “Penelope was my best agent, but she was… ambitious. She wanted to release The Box years ago, but it wasn’t ready and I -”

“Was waiting for Felicity,” Oliver answered softly.

Damien shrugged, “I suppose. I thought Penelope was growing a little too interested in The Box, so I infiltrated her into the CIA. She was to be my eyes and ears. Four years ago, she alerted me that a CIA agent discovered Project YWHW.”

“Andrew…” Oliver whispered in dread.

Damien’s gaze was steel, “Yes. Afterwards I grew suspicious of Penelope’s true motivations to alerting me to such information, but I’ve never been able to formally ask her. She took a several of my H.I.V.E. agents and went dark. I haven’t been able to find her. Well, not until today apparently.”

“Sounds like she learned from the best,” Oliver mused.

Damien pointed at the comms, “I promise you Oliver. She wants The Box, and if Felicity has it… she will kill her to get it. She will kill us all to get. It seems our priorities mesh for the moment. You can’t stop Penelope by yourself, and my forces have been thinned effectively thanks to you, your friends and Ms. Lord.”

“How the hell am I supposed to trust you?” Oliver asked.

“You don’t. You just need to believe I want Felicity alive more than I want you dead.”

As Penelope and her H.I.V.E. agents faced off with Lyla and ARGUS, Diggle, Laurel and Thea entered the main hall. Thea immediately drew her bow. Diggle tossed Laurel a gun while she sheathed her baton. At once Diggle signaled to Laurel and Thea to hold their fire.

Penelope sighed irritated, “I  _flinched_. Of course I flinched. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to calculate enough C-4 to kill everybody but you? It’s not easy math. I assure you. You Diggles are always putting the pieces together. It’s so damn annoying,” Penelope’s eyes fell upon Diggle, whose gun was raised. She smiled softly at him and said, “Hello John.”

“Somebody want to tell me what the hell is going on?” Diggle asked.

“Quickly. We have quite a predicament on our hands,” Penelope giggled, clearly enjoying herself.

Lyla explained, “After I remembered what I saw, I looked back into Waller’s death. Once I knew to check Penelope, it narrowed the list of suspects by quite a bit. Amanda was investigating her… but I couldn’t figure out why until I discovered where Amanda was on the day she died.”

“The bank!” Penelope replied, eyes gleaming.

“She found the safe-deposit box in John’s name. That’s why she called me. She wanted to warn us but….”

Penelope wiggled her fingers in a tiny little wave, “She bumped into me first. Well… my explosives. Amanda started investigating me after Lyla left ARGUS.”

“Why?” Lyla asked.

“I think it was a mea culpa. I think she thought if she found Andrew Diggle’s killer, she’d get you back. All is forgiven. Maybe the woman actually had a soul. Who knows? Who cares?”

“So why did she start investigating you?” Diggle asked.

“You mean what did Waller see that you didn’t, John? Good question. I have no idea. I covered my tracks pretty well, but I was Andrew’s handler. Waller knew he was CIA. I was probably the logical starting point.”

“And ending point,” Lyla shot back.

“Endings are beginnings, Lyla. I had no idea what Waller discovered in that bank. Then John contacted me after he found Andrew’s journal? It was almost too easy,” Penelope giggled a little. Then her smiled faded, “But you didn’t trust me… not fully. Just like your brother.”

Diggle asked, “What do you mean?”

Penelope closed her eyes a little as if savoring a memory, “Have you ever felt the complete and utter satisfaction of knowing, for certain, a mark was yours? That they believed in you so completely they were almost an extension of you. You have to understand the control, the power that comes with it. It’s intoxicating. It’s like a drug. Andrew trusted me… believed in me. Do you know that feeling, Lyla? You must.”

Lyla glanced at Diggle, and he nodded for Lyla to answer, to keep Penelope talking. “Yes.”

Penelope almost looked relieved and she said sadly, “Then you know how it feels to lose them.”

“The month he was gone… he never really came back did he?” Diggle answered.

Penelope smiled sadly, “No. It’s not an easy thing being a triple agent. I had to feed Darhk enough information to ensure his trust, but withhold enough to protect Andy so he could track down The Box for me. It’s a delicate balance, playing all these sides off one another. I tipped too far in one direction. The blowbacks to CIA operations alerted them to a mole. I was protected, very high up, but I wasn’t protected low enough.”

“Andy discovered you were the mole,” Diggle answered.

“To this day I have no idea how, but when he came back from his month of no contact he said he found YHWH but hid it on a remote server. He gave me the access code, but my back channels flagged me to an alert. Inside the server was a virus. If I accessed YHWH it would load a virus onto my computer and download any intel. My communications with H.I.V.E. were on the protected network, but Andy had hacked enough of the network to break through those firewalls. If I accessed The Box it would alert the CIA that I was the mole immediately.”

“So you killed him,” Diggle said.

Penelope’s eyes flashed in anger, “He didn’t leave me a choice. I was blown either way. So I made the call. I told Darhk Andy found Project YHWH and was reporting its location to the CIA.”

Diggle closed his eyes and then through gritted teeth, “And Darhk had Deadshot assassinate him. You didn’t even know what Andy had… or if he was reporting it to the CIA.”

“A tetragrammaton for the project name? I was certain it was The Box. That’s what it is. IT’S GOD. It had to be!” Penelope shouted, her frustration mounting.

“It wasn’t,” Damien answered as he entered with his remaining H.I.V.E. agents, guns drawn.

Penelope swiveled and forced Felicity to turn with her before shoving her a few steps ahead of her. Now Penelope stood in the center and all guns were pointed directly at her.

“This just keeps getting better and better,” Felicity muttered.

“Well, I know that now… don’t I? I realized you had an ego on you Damien but considering yourself God? Get a grip,” Penelope muttered.

“I am He Who Shall Not Be Named, Penelope. A shadow. Unseen and unheard, but always watching. No, I am not God. I’m so much worse.”

Penelope smiled eerily, “Right… what did she say?” she glanced at Felicity. “The thing that God fears… Is that who you are? Because right now, I see fear in your eyes, Damien. So what do I call myself if I’m the thing you fear?”  

Damien pulled out a gun and pointed it Penelope, “Nothing. You are pointing a gun at my daughter. You are already dead. It’s just a matter of time before I make it so.”

Diggle heard a low whistle from above him and he flicked his eyes up to follow the sound. Oliver was perched high on the top floor, hidden in the shadows, bow drawn. He signaled to Diggle to switch to comms. Diggle immediately switched channels, and muttered low, his lips barely moving, "Start talking, Oliver.”

“Darhk is backing us up. He has a plan, but we’re going to need to follow his lead,” Oliver explained.

“Are you insane?” Diggle said slowly, his voice measured but angry.

“Probably, but it’s the best I got right now, Digg,” Oliver answered.

“You are expecting me to trust him?”

“No. I’m asking you to trust me,” Oliver said softly.

A heavy silence. Then Diggle said, “Just tell me one thing: why the hell is Darhk helping us?”

As Oliver stared down at Diggle and Felicity, he took a deep breath and said, “Because Felicity is his daughter, John.”

There was no response. Diggle was no longer looking at Oliver but was staring at Damien Darhk. Finally, after a long silence, Diggle said, “We’ll take low point. You cover. Copy?”

“Yes, but Thea is with me.”

Wordlessly, Diggle signaled to Thea to move up to high ground. While the others were focused on Felicity, Thea very slowly backed away and made her way up to Oliver.

Penelope spat back, “This all could have been avoided. Andrew, Waller… everything. If you just launched The Box when I told you years ago. I was your most devout follower… your most talented student. I was the future of H.I.V.E. I was born to lead it. To bring your vision to fruition. To see the world you created made a reality.”

“The world I was building wasn’t meant for you. It was meant for her,” Damien replied simply.

“For a daughter who hates you? Who will never see the world the way we see it? Damien… I was already everything you hoped she would be,” Penelope replied desperately.

Damien sighed, “I never saw how deep your Daddy issues went until this moment. So let me make this clear: everything I hoped my daughter would be is everything Felicity is. You are nothing but an employee. Someone I paid… very well.”

“Yeah, well, North Korea pays better. Now give me the drive, Felicity, or I will put a bullet in your head,” Penelope commanded.

“No,” Felicity said firmly, her hands raised.

“I’m not leaving without that drive.”

“You nearly killed my daughter. You’re not leaving period,“ Lyla said pulling a second gun out of her back pocket.

Penelope mused, "How good is your aim, Lyla? Think you can kill me before my agents kill her? Because I don’t care if I live or die. But somehow… I think you care if Felicity does.”

“Diggle…” Oliver whispered alarmed over the comms.

“Hold. Everybody hold your fire,” Diggle commanded loudly.

“The drive NOW!” Penelope screamed.

Felicity looked to Damien. He nodded and very gently said, “It’s alright, Felicity. Give her the drive.”

Felicity turned slowly and handed the drive to Penelope who slipped it into her pocket.

“Now… I leave,” Penelope demanded. She shoved Felicity into the center of the circle again. “Or she dies.”

“No,” Damien answered quietly.

Felicity flicked her eyes up to him in alarm. The H.I.V.E. agents, ARGUS agents and Team Arrow readied their weapons. Dozens and dozens of guns were trained squarely on Felicity.

“Diggle… we can’t cover her,” Oliver muttered as he scanned his bow rapidly across the crowd below. Thea appeared next to him and began to do the same.

“There’s too many,” Thea confirmed, the worry and fear creeping into her voice.

“I know,” Diggle answered gravely.

Penelope cocked her gun, “Have it your way. Either I walk or she dies. Now. Five seconds. Five…”

Damien looked at Felicity tenderly and said, “Felicity… look at me.”

Trembling Felicity looked at Damien. His eyes were filled with confidence, love and reassurance. For the first time, she recognized him. They were the eyes of her father, Elijah Smoak.

“Four.”

“My whole life… I wanted to protect you from exactly this. I need you to know that. I need you to know I’m sorry.”

“Three.”

“Oh my God,” Oliver whispered in fear.

“Felicity, do you remember the picture? Tell me the truth,” Damien asked.

“John?” Lyla asked anxiously.

Speaking to his team over the comms, Diggle ordered, “Spare their lives if you can.”

“Spare no one,” Damien ordered loudly to his H.I.V.E. agents. Then he looked expectantly at Felicity. “Do you remember?”

“Two.”

With tears springing to her eyes, Felicity whispered, “Yes.”

Damien smiled a little and answered, “Everything is going to be alright sweetheart. I promise.”

“One.”

Damien eyes flicked to Penelope with new resolve, and he said, “You underestimated one thing, Penelope.”

She paused and cocked her head with curiosity, her confidence unshaken, and asked, “What’s that?”

Damien smiled, “His aim.”

It was the signal Oliver needed. He breathed deep and exhaled, letting the arrow fly. It sliced through Penelope’s hand, sending her gun scattering across the floor. She stared at the arrow in shock and then screamed in pain.

Oliver’s arrow was like the spark to a powder keg. As the main hall exploded into gun fire, Felicity closed her eyes and reached out her hand. Almost instantaneously, she felt Damien’s hand grasp hers. She was twirling, spinning through the air with almost inhuman speed, as Damien pulled her towards him, firing his gun at the same time. As bullets and arrows hailed around them, Damien tucked Felicity under his arm, then brought her to the ground as he shielded her with his body.

As soon as it began, it was over. A cloud of smoke from the gunfire floated around them. Felicity couldn’t see anything, shrouded in the darkness of her father’s suit. With her head pressed against her father’s chest, the only sound she could hear in the silence was the beat of his heart. He held her so tightly she could feel the heat radiating through his body, like a protective blanket surrounding her. Then through the stillness and the silence, a voice broke through.

“Felicity!” Oliver shouted.

He catapulted himself over the railing, before releasing and launching himself to the next floor, grabbing hold of the next railing. He released his grasp and sailed to the ground, landing lightly. He  made his way through the fallen bodies towards her. Penelope disappeared, escaping in the cloud of gunfire. Whoever was left of her agents escaped with her. Team Arrow survived unharmed, as did Lyla. Some of her ARGUS agents, however, were injured. Lyla went to work helping them and signaled to Laurel for assistance.

_***What A Wonderful World (feat Shadow Royale) by Joseph William Morgan_

“Are you alright?” Damien whispered. They were crouched to the ground with Damien’s body hovering over Felicity like a shield. He loosened his grip, so Felicity could pull back and look up at him.

“Yes.”

“Good,” Damien answered. He smiled at Felicity even though a tiny bit of blood was trickling down his lip.

Felicity furrowed her brow in confusion and said, “What’s…”

Damien suddenly coughed and blood spurted out of his mouth. Alarmed, Felicity pulled back his suit jacket and saw blood spreading across his shirt. Felicity caught him in her arms as he collapsed into her lap.

“Dad? Dad!” Felicity shouted in a panic. She removed his suit jacket and put pressure on the bullet wound. “Somebody help!”

“It’s just a shoulder wound, Felicity. It won’t kill him,” Diggle said calmly.

He stood over Felicity and Damien, having reached her sooner than Oliver. Oliver was just a few feet behind when Diggle pulled the gun. At the sound of John cocking the gun, everyone froze. Felicity looked up at Diggle in alarm.

“You need to move Felicity,” Diggle ordered.

“What are you doing?” Felicity whispered.

“I made a promise… to my brother… to Carly,” Diggle answered, the anger creeping into his voice.

Felicity held up a bloodied hand to the gun and pleaded, “John… please…”

Lyla looked up from the solider she was tending and shouted, “Johnny! Put the gun down.”

Diggle gripped his gun tighter and very calmly said, “No.”

The remaining H.I.V.E. agents immediately stood and aimed their weapons at Diggle.

“Better make it good, John. This will be the only shot you get,” Damien replied weakly.

Lyla stood and pulled her weapon again, training it on the H.I.V.E. agents. Her remaining ARGUS agents, Laurel and Thea following suit.

“Diggle!” Oliver shouted angrily.

“I’m gonna do this thing, Oliver,” Diggle answered.

“It won’t bring him back. Believe me. I know.”

“My brother deserves justice,” Diggle said through gritted teeth.

“And he’ll get it, but not this way. I just told Thea this isn’t how we fight. Do you know who taught me that? You,” Oliver replied.

For a moment, Diggle didn’t say anything and the gun lowered just a bit, but the moment Oliver made a step towards him, Diggle raised it again. “Tell her to move, Oliver.”

Reluctantly, Oliver pulled his bow and arrow but instead of pointing it at the H.I.V.E. agents he trained it on Diggle. “Take your gun off my wife, John.”

Felicity surveyed the weapons pointed at her and the weapons pointed at John. She stared sadly at Oliver. Then very slowly, she eased her father off her lap. She stood – her body covered in blood – and faced the H.I.V.E. agents.

“Put your weapons down,” she ordered calmly. The H.I.V.E. agents stared at Felicity in surprise, none of them making a move. Felicity glared at them in response. With her voice confident and filled with authority she repeated the order, “I said put your weapons down. NOW!”

Very slowly the remaining H.I.V.E. agents set their weapons on the ground.

“Good. Now back up,” Felicity commanded.

Again, the agents listened and moved several feet back. Satisfied, Felicity turned to Team Arrow. “You guys too. Put your weapons down. Please,” she asked gently.

Oliver immediately complied. Laurel & Thea followed suit. When she saw no weapons were pointed at her husband, Lyla gave the order to her ARGUS agents to lower theirs. Now, the only person holding a gun was Diggle. Felicity raised her hands and stepped in front of her father’s body, facing Diggle.

“He’s my father John,” Felicity said softly.

John finally broke his gaze from Damien and looked at Felicity. He replied, “I know. He was my brother, Felicity.”

“I know.”

For a moment, Felicity and Diggle regarded one another in silence. Diggle motioned to Damien with the gun and said, “He’s a monster.”

Felicity swallowed hard, “You’re right. He is a monster, but you’re not. You’re better than him, John. You’re better than all of us.”

“Then let me protect you. Let me protect all of you… because he’ll never stop. You know that. You have to know that,” Diggler said desperately.

“Then we’ll stop him,” Felicity said confidently.

Diggle shook his head, “No. Everything… it started with him. I can end it all. Right here and now. I owe Andy that much.” Diggle’s voice broke at the mention of his brother’s name.

“You’re right. You deserve justice. So does your brother. So if you want it… take it.”

“Felicity…” Lyla started to interrupt, but Felicity held up her hand.Lyla fell silent.

“But you’re wrong about one thing,” Felicity said softly, her voice so low that the others could barely hear them.

“What?” Diggle asked, visibly confused.

“It didn’t start with him. It started with me.”

Felicity took a deep breath and another step closer to Diggle, so the gun was mere inches from her chest. Oliver, his gaze never breaking from her, eyed her movements warily.

Alarmed he asked, “Felicity, what are you doing?” Oliver reached for his bow.

“Oliver Queen, don’t you dare raise that bow. Do you understand me?” Felicity said firmly, her gaze never breaking from Diggle’s. Oliver lowered his hand immediately. She made the final step towards Diggle, and now the gun was pressed to her chest.

Her voice breaking, and tears spilling down her face, Felicity said, “My father killed your brother to protect me. The reason Andy isn’t here is because I am. I am the reason he’s dead. If you want blame someone, blame me. If you want to kill someone… kill me.”

Diggle’s eyes widened in surprise, his eyes blinking rapidly as the tears filled them. Almost instantaneously, he lowered the gun. The H.I.V.E. agents rushed towards Damien and lifted him off the ground.

“You lack conviction, Mr. Diggle,” Damien chuckled.

Incensed, Felicity grabbed the gun from Diggle and whirled around to face her father. When a couple agents reached for their guns, Felicity fired off a few rounds in their direction.

“I said weapons down,” she replied icily.

The agents backed away again.

“Arrest him,” Lyla ordered her forces.

“If you try to arrest me, they will fire,” Damien warned. “I will not spare your friends, Felicity.”

Felicity looked back at Team Arrow and ARGUS readying their weapons. Despite their weakened forces, the number of H.I.V.E. agents nearly equaled Team Arrow and ARGUS.

“Leave,” Felicity commanded.

“Felicity!” Diggle angrily shouted. “No. We can take them.”

“You will die trying,” Damien answered.

Felicity looked at John sadly and said, “No more bloodshed, John. It’s enough.”

“Felicity-” Diggle argued.

“John, would you risk my life? Or Lyla’s?” Felicity asked. Diggle’s silence was all the confirmation Felicity needed. “So, please understand… I can’t risk yours.” Felicity pointed the gun at her father and said, “If you ever come near me or mine again, John won’t have to kill you. I’ll do it myself.”

Damien smiled, “Like I said… everything I ever hoped for. A queen.”

_***Unsteady by X Ambassadors_

Felicity kept the gun trained on her father and his agents until they left.  As soon as they did, she felt the floor drop out from under her. Just as her legs were about to collapse, she felt a hand around her waist.

“Hey. I got you. It’s alright,” Oliver whispered as he kept a firm grip on her waist with one hand. With the other, he covered the gun and slipped it from Felicity’s hand. Felicity put her arm around Oliver’s shoulders, and her pulled her in. Wrapping her arms tightly around Oliver’s neck, Felicity clung to him.  Oliver hugged her back tightly.

Oliver whispered over and over, “You’re alright. You’re alright,” as if to reassure himself more than Felicity.

Slowly, the team gathered the injured and loaded them into the ARGUS plane and Hal’s plane as Diggle and Lyla finished placing the charges around the main hall of H.I.V.E. headquarters. As Felicity settled inside Hal Jordan’s cargo plane, she leaned up against Oliver’s chest. He wrapped his arm protectively around her, and Felicity gripped his forearm tightly, feeling the security of his muscles tensing around her.

“Clear?” Hal shouted over the engine.

“Clear!” Diggle shouted back.

As the plane lifted off, Diggle paused and looked Felicity expectantly. She nodded quietly at him and said, “Blow it.”

Diggle pulled out the detonator for the charges and without hesitation pressed the button. The sound of the charges exploding was deafening. While the plane lifted higher and higher in the sky, far away from the island, Felicity watched as H.I.V.E. headquarters was engulfed in flames. As the buildings collapsed all around, she realized the only structure Team Arrow left standing was the synagogue her father built for her. It left a sickened feeling in the pit of her stomach, as if everything she once loved was now tainted by him. Even though she was safe and going home, Felicity knew nothing would be the same ever again.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BOLD: Contest Winners. I held polls on my blog that allowed readers to choose certain aspects in the story - from songs to wedding selections. Contest winners are revealed in their first appearance in the story. All contest winners will be published in the final chapter.
> 
> ***Songs I listened to while writing the scene.
> 
> The story is finished. I am posting chapters as my editor finishes edits. 12 Chapters total. 175 pages.

_** Can't Go Back by Rosi Golan_

Oliver opened the door to the darkened beach home and for a moment Felicity just stood in the doorway, frozen in place. The last time the two of them walked through this door together was the night Oliver proposed. Felicity looked down at her ring. It felt like a lifetime ago.

"Felicity?" Oliver asked expectantly.

Felicity snapped out of her daze and walked into the house. She expected a disaster, but everything was as it once was, as if nothing happened. She looked at Oliver confused.

"I called a service on the flight back. You were asleep. I didn't want you to come back to..." He trailed off unable to finish the sentence.

Felicity nodded in silent approval and made her way into the house. She froze at the spot where the mirror once was. Her reflection no longer stared back at her, but a blank wall. She instinctively reached her hands up to her throat as the memory of the Bratva thugs flooded into her mind.

"Did they hurt you?" Oliver asked, his voice low.

Felicity shook her head, "My father would never -"

"Not him. The Bratva. Did they… hurt you?" Oliver asked.

It dawned on Felicity what Oliver was asking. She suddenly realized his fear was greater than her own. Felicity tenderly stepped towards him and reached her hand up to his face.

"No, they didn't hurt me. Not really," Felicity answered softly. Almost instantly, Felicity saw the tension release from Oliver's shoulders, and his body relaxed a bit. He reached for her hand, but Felicity pulled away before he could touch her.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm just tired. I'm really tired. I think I'll just get some sleep," Felicity answered.

"That's a good idea," Oliver replied softly.

"Alone," Felicity said suddenly. Oliver's eyes lit up in surprise, and Felicity nervously asked, "Is that okay?"

"Of course," Oliver said, hiding the hurt in his voice.

"Okay. Goodnight," Felicity said softly, but her voice sounded hollow.

"Goodnight."

Worried, Oliver watched her walk up the stairs. She was alive and safe. He should be feeling grateful and he was, but something was deeply wrong. Felicity had barely spoken two words since the plane took off. He'd never seen her like this. So quiet. So closed off. They may have escaped H.I.V.E., but  Oliver couldn't shake the feeling they'd simply brought Damien Darhk home with them.

_***One Day I Will by Joy Williams_

With a start, Felicity awoke from a restless sleep. For a moment she didn't know where she was. She had been with Damien for days and days. She still didn't know how long. Somehow, sleeping in her old apartment, fake or not, helped her acclimate to H.I.V.E. The beach house felt new and strange. When she turned and saw the other side of the bed empty, it felt strange. Felicity admitted it was probably because she'd never slept alone in this bed. It was bound to feel strange. Instantly, she felt guilty for having pushed Oliver away.

She knew she was acting strange, and to be honest, she wasn't entirely certain why. Felicity's eyes flicked to the corner of the room and saw Oliver sleeping in the chair. She sat up in bed and for a moment just watched him breathing, feeling more secure he was watching over her. She slipped out of bed, grabbed a blanket and gently draped it over Oliver. He stirred but didn't wake. The house felt cool in her silk nightgown, and Felicity felt a chill run down her arms, the hair standing on end. She reached for a sweater hanging on the back of the door and slipped it on. As she looked at Oliver, the moonlight casting a soft light over his peacefully sleeping face, she knew what was bothering her. She also knew sleep would be impossible.

Felicity made her way downstairs. Her feet lightly walked against the cool tile of the beach house. She entered the office where her computer was. Maybe she could piece together the bits of code she remembered from The Box… or maybe she should start tracking her father. It had been several hours. Felicity sat down at her computer, ready to lose herself in work, but her eyes traveled from the blank screen to the photographs decorating her desk.  

Most were of her and Oliver on their various vacations. Her favorite was front and center. They were on the Amalfi coast and pink flowers adorned the edge of the photo. Oliver had his arms wrapped tightly around Felicity. He insisted on the picture as sort of a joke to Thea, but they both looked so peaceful and happy that Felicity framed it when they moved into the beach house. Next to the photos of her and Oliver were a few of Thea and her mother. Tucked into the corner though, was a picture of Felicity… as a little girl.

Felicity reached for the picture and ran her finger along the edge of the black frame. She was six and soaking wet. Her eyes were tightly shut as sprinkles of water shimmered down on her. The bright sunlight cast an almost white light around the edges of the photo. Her hands were reaching up to the sky in glee because she was twirling.  An adult's hand, almost out of frame, was holding onto one of hers.

It was the only picture Felicity had of her father.

_***Open Your Eyes by Andrew Belle_

Oliver stirred from his slumber, and his eyes flew open. He sat up, cursing himself for falling asleep. He'd come into the room to keep watch over Felicity, but he'd gone days without sleeping. The exhaustion just overwhelmed him. Oliver eyes snapped to the bed and he felt terror leap in his chest when he saw it empty. As he stood, a blanket fell off him and onto the floor. He reached down to pick it up, and a calm settled over him again. She was home.

Oliver made his way downstairs to search for Felicity. A light poured from her office, but as he entered the room he paused. There were no sounds of her typing. He could always hear her fingers flying across the keyboard long before he entered the room.

As he entered the office, he stopped in his tracks. Felicity was sitting on the ground, screwdriver in hand, taking apart her computer. He walked over to her and put a gentle hand on her shoulder, but Felicity jumped a mile. She whirled around, screwdriver raised, and Oliver held up his hands apologetically.

"It's just me!" He exclaimed.

Felicity exhaled deeply and shook her head, "Damn it, Oliver."

"Sorry," he said sheepishly. "I thought you heard me come in."

"You? Nobody hears you come in. I've considered putting a cow bell on you," Felicity muttered as she turned her attention back to taking apart the computer.

"What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?” Felicity answered tersely.

Oliver paused, "Why?"

Felicity ignored him and began to pull wires out instead.

"Felicity..." Oliver tried again, but Felicity interrupted him.

"Just go back to bed, Oliver. I'm fine. You checked on me. I'm not dead… or kidnapped. I don't need a hero," Felicity answered bitterly.

Oliver exhaled deeply and lowered his voice, "Alright, what's going on with you?"

"Nothing," Felicity muttered as she began to remove the internal components, reaching up to set them on the desk as she did.

"The truth please," Oliver said firmly.

"Well, why don't you tell me? You seem be an expert on how I'm feeling," Felicity said.

"For starters I think you're trying to pick a fight."

"Why would I do that?"

"So I go away," Oliver replied matter of factly.

"So go away," Felicity shot back.

"No," Oliver answered gently.

"Oliver -"

"Felicity, whatever it is… you need to talk about it," Oliver interrupted, exasperated.

"That's particularly funny coming from you," Felicity said flatly.

"Felicity -"

Felicity stood suddenly, the anger flashing in her eyes, "I don't want to talk! I want to be left alone so I can think. "

"Fine. I'll leave you alone..." Oliver answered.

"Good."

"... if you tell me how many times you've taken apart the computer,"  Oliver said.

Felicity glanced down at the pieces at her feet at back up at Oliver. She swallowed hard and answered, "Seventeen."

"And how many times have you put it back together?" Oliver asked, his voice softening.

Tears sprung into Felicity's eyes as she said, “Sixteen."

For a moment neither of them said anything. Oliver exhaled and said, "Okay… so maybe it's time to try something different."

"So what? You want me to talk about why I hate my father? What good will that do?"

"No. I want you to talk about why you don't," Oliver answered softly.

Felicity wiped a tear from her eye and dropped the screwdriver as she sank to the floor. Her nightgown fell loosely over her knees as she curled up them to her chest. She rested her cheek to her knees and sat in silence, refusing to look at Oliver.

Oliver slowly kneeled to the floor and reached for her face, gently brushing her cheek with his fingers. Felicity closed her eyes at his touch. Her face turned toward him almost involuntarily, like a magnet pulling her.

"Hey… what happened?" he whispered.

_*** Waiting Between Worlds by Zack Hemsey_

"I can't think. I've been trying for hours. I can't… I can't think," Felicity whispered tearfully.

"You're just tired, Felicity. You're exhausted," Oliver explained gently.

Felicity shook her head, "No… I couldn't sleep either. I came down here because… I don't know. I wanted to try and piece together the code from The Box. Maybe I could get back into H.I.V.E.'s network -"

"You don't have to figure that all out right now."

"Yes I do. The Box is out there. Penelope is out there. My father is out there. It's my fault!"

"How is that your fault?" Oliver asked, the surprise creeping into his face.

"I gave her The Box… and we let them go to save me," Felicity answered, the guilt layering her voice.

"Felicity -"

"But I can’t think. That's only happened to me one other time," Felicity trailed off, her voice sounding far away.

"When?"

Felicity flicked her eyes back to Oliver, and her voice broke when she said, "When you died."

Oliver closed his eyes and whispered, "Felicity..."

"I tried to go into work. Diggle told me not to… but I had to. It’s where I go when nothing makes sense. I can sit down at a computer and lose myself in zeroes and ones. Somehow the world makes sense that way…. and I can breathe. When you died, I couldn't breathe. When I sat down, I couldn't see the zeroes and ones."

"What did you see?"

Felicity choked back a sob and answered, "You."

Oliver sighed, his heart breaking knowing he had caused Felicity so much pain. He ran his hands along her hair to comfort her.  

"I yelled at Ray. I quit the team. Nothing made sense. Not then..."

Oliver eyes lit up with understanding, "And now? Felicity… when you sat down at the computer… what did you see?"

Felicity brushed Oliver's hand away and stood up. She reached across her desk and grabbed the photo of her as a little girl from the desk. Oliver took it from her hand and smiled softly at it as he said, "I like this picture."

"It was so hot that day. I mean Vegas is always hot, but it was just blistering. I guess we were at the park, but I don't remember. I only remember this. I remember water was bursting out of the fire hydrants along the streets of my neighborhood. The city must have been doing one of those flow tests. All the kids were playing in the water. I remember how cold it was...how good it felt. I was so happy. So I started to dance. I closed my eyes, and I started to twirl. Every time I started to feel dizzy, I would feel my father's hand grasping mine, pulling me close and holding me steady. Then he'd let go, and I'd start again. I never had to open my eyes. Never once. I knew his hand was always there. I knew he'd always be there."

As Felicity finished her story, the tears began to spill from her eyes. "Do you remember when I told you I barely remembered my father, but I did remember how much it hurt when he left?"

"Yes."

"This is when he left. That day. My mom took me to the store, and when we came back… he was gone. There was nothing of him left: his clothes, his books… his computer. It was like he never existed at all. My mom dabbled in photography, and my Dad had built her a dark room. He took all the pictures with him in it, but before he left he developed this one. It was hanging waiting for us when we got back. It was all he left us. I guess… he took a copy too."

Felicity took the picture from Oliver and set it down on the desk again, "My mother never went into that dark room again, but she let me convert it into a little office. It's where I learned about computers. It's where I built computers. It never mattered how much the kids teased me at school, or how much my mom and I were fighting, or what boyfriend she brought home that week… I could go in that room and be safe. The world made sense. And I felt..."

"What? You felt what?" Oliver gently prodded when Felicity fell silent.

She shrugged, "So close to him. My mom always said I was so much like him. I knew he would understand this part of me that nobody did, because he was the one who gave it to me… and now…"

"And now?"

"What if my mother is right? What if I'm just like him?" Felicity whispered.

Oliver held her shoulders and forced Felicity to look at him, "You're kidding me right? Felicity, yes you're good at computers -- hell, probably the best in the world -- but that doesn't define you. That isn't who you are."

"I don't know who I am. Not anymore," Felicity said softly.

"I know who you are. You're the woman that I love. I believe in you," Oliver said fiercely.

Immediately, Felicity thought  _But for how long?_  Never once had she questioned Oliver's love for her, but a fear was taking hold of her too powerful to ignore. It was a fear she knew, without a doubt, her father had cemented within her, a fear she was too frightened to think let alone speak.  She pulled away from Oliver.

"Hey..." Oliver said in surprise at her sudden movement.

"I'm not the best in the world, Oliver, not even close. He is."

Oliver sighed exasperated, "Felicity - "

"I have no idea how to stop him, Oliver. That code… I don't even know how to begin to build a code like that. He's smarter than me. He's better than me. And I can't think! I can't even begin to think because all I see when I sit down at the computer is Andrew Diggle with a bullet in his head."  

"Andrew Diggle is not your fault!" Oliver said sternly.

"I know my father ordered the hit. I know that Deadshot pulled the trigger, but I'm the reason why. I'm the reason why Diggle’s brother is dead. I'm the reason my father created The Box. I'm the reason another League-of-Assassins nut job wants you dead. It's me. It all comes back to me!" Felicity shouted, her anger bubbling over. "I hate him so much, Oliver. I didn't think I was capable of hating someone this much."

"I know… but you need to say the rest, Felicity," Oliver prodded gently.

"Why? Why does it matter?" Felicity said angrily, tears springing into her eyes once again.

"Because he's your dad, Felicity. No matter what he's done… he's your father. Trust me, I understand," Oliver answered.

With her voice breaking, Felicity said, "And I love him. I still love him."

"I know," Oliver replied.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

Felicity broke down into sobs, wrapping her sweater around her and clutching her body as if she was breaking into two. Oliver stepped towards her, but she moved away from him. Blinded by tears she bumped into her desk. In a fit of rage, she began smashing the computer components into hundreds of pieces with the screwdriver. Then she shoved the monitor to the ground. Finally, she picked up the photo of her as a child. For a moment, she just stared at it, but then hurtled it at the wall with so much force the frame shattered.

_***Lucky by Bif Naked_

Felicity felt Oliver's arms wrap around her like a vice. She struggled against him -- the rage fueling her with a wild energy -- but Oliver held firm.

"Hey hey hey. Shhh. Shhh. Enough. Okay? Enough," he whispered.

His arms encircled hers and pinned them down. She could feel the tension and strain of every muscle, like a rubber band wrapped tightly around her. It didn't hurt, but even as Felicity struggled, she quickly realized it was pointless. Oliver continued to whisper in her ear, his voice soothing and his breath hot against her neck. Felicity felt herself growing calmer as she listened to the sound. As she settled down, Oliver loosened his grip on her slightly, enough so she could bend her arms. She curled them around Oliver's forearms and stroked them lightly. The softness of his hair skimmed through her fingers as Felicity felt the grooves of his tendons and muscles. At her touch, Oliver relaxed even more. Like a switch being flipped, Felicity felt the surge of anger swirl inside her and change into a different kind of energy. Something more. Something deeper. A desire so strong it nearly overwhelmed her.

She leaned her head against Oliver's chest and snaked one arm behind her, her fingers grazing his neck and slowly winding their way into his hair. She arched her back slightly and swiveled her hips. Instantly, she felt Oliver respond. Very slowly, never breaking contact with his body, Felicity turned to face him.

Wordlessly, she unzipped his grey hoodie. She let her hands spread over his body. First she moved over his abdomen, and his muscles contracted reflexively as she ran her fingers along the indents. Then, she slid her hands up over his chest and finally his shoulders, pushing the hoodie slowly off until it dropped to the floor. She wrapped her arms around him and methodically began kissing his neck. Starting at his Adam's apple and moving down, tracing her tongue lightly along his skin, until she felt his pulse quicken beneath her lips. When she felt his hands at her hips, moving slowly up her body, she shifted down and kissed his shoulder until she skated down to the top of his chest. Oliver's hands slipped through her hair, but when Felicity made her way to his lips, he resisted. She tried again, but Oliver slid his hands from her hair to her face. Gripping her firmly, his biceps curling from the strain, he pulled Felicity back and stared at her intently.

"Felicity...?" Oliver whispered. It was part question and part protest. It wasn't that Felicity had never initiated sex before, but there was something different about this time. There was an urgency to her felt almost panicked.  

Felicity didn't respond. Instead she reached her hand to Oliver's face, grazing it gently, running her fingers over his lips. Then, she brushed her lips against his. Again she felt Oliver hesitate, but it only fed her urgency. Almost defiantly she slipped her sweater from her shoulders, letting it fall next to Oliver's hoodie. Then she pulled her nightgown over her head. The blue silk cascaded over her like water and fell silently to the ground. Felicity reached for him again, kissing him firmly. She slid her tongue against his until she felt Oliver's mouth give way, a slight moan escaping as he did, but it lasted only briefly. Gripping her arms, Oliver pulled her back forcefully.

He started to speak, but Felicity interrupted him, her eyes filled with pain and her voice pleading as she said, "Oliver... just make it go away for a little while." She leaned in against the force of Oliver's hands clasped tightly around her wrists. Kissing him gently as she did and whispering, "Please just kiss me."

Oliver released her wrists and immediately Felicity snaked them around his neck. Oliver's hands hovered above Felicity's body, still uncertain. As her kiss grew more desperate, however, Felicity felt Oliver's hands slip around her neck. For a moment, she pulled back a little bit, and they pressed their foreheads together, breathing in each other in silence.

Oliver stared intensely at her, wiping away the tears drying on her face. Then, as he brushed the hair from her face, he bent down and kissed her. Only this time, there was no hesitation. Swirling his tongue against hers, Oliver confidently deepened the kiss as Felicity let out a sigh. She felt his hands move from her hair down the length of her back. Felicity trailed her hands to Oliver's hipbones. She ran her fingers along the edges, feeling Oliver's breath catch as she did so. Slowly, she pulled at the strings of his sweatpants and they slipped to the floor. Clothes off, Oliver suddenly took control. He wrapped his arms around her and scooped up Felicity. His urgency finally matching her own, he pushed her towards the nearest wall.

The wall was cold against the heat of her skin as Felicity's back slammed against it. She gasped as he grasped her legs tightly so they could wrap around his waist.  Maneuvering her hips expertly, Oliver slipped inside her. In one fluid motion, Oliver braced one arm against the wall and then lifted Felicity as he pushed deeper inside her. The force was so sudden and so strong, Felicity cried out loudly as her body stretched to receive him.

Oliver pulled his head back in alarm and asked, "Did I hurt you?"

The burgeoning swell swirling inside her grew so rapidly that Felicity couldn't register the pain. If there was any, it intermixed with the pleasure so immediately she couldn't distinguish the two. Unable to speak, she shook her head to reassure Oliver. He groaned as Felicity rocked her hips against his, urging him more. Bracing himself again, Oliver moved against Felicity while trailing his tongue down the slope of her neck. He massaged his lips against her pulse, quickening under her skin, until Felicity began to gasp. She clung to Oliver, completely under his control. The firm wall and Oliver's almost inhuman strength worked in perfect cohesion to secure Felicity while driving her to the edge. She was restrained but wild. Free but protected.

Leaning her head against the wall, Felicity moaned, "Oh god… Oliver… don't stop. Please don't stop."

Oliver wrapped his hand around her neck and firmly pulled her back to him. Oliver molded his mouth against hers muffling her moans. Then, he silenced her with a kiss so deep Felicity felt the breath leave her body. She finally had to pull away, panting for air. Oliver allowed her a brief respite. Felicity ran her hands along Oliver's back, over his shoulders and down his chest. Every inch of him was growing slick with sweat, and Felicity felt her own beads trickle from her neck down in between her breasts.  

He could sense she was close, her muscles contracting and tightening around him. Resisting every urge, Oliver slowed the pace to make it last. He pulled one arm away from the wall, so both were wrapped around her waist. Felicity strained briefly against him, biting her lower lip in frustration at the sudden change. He smiled a bit at her annoyance, but refused to accommodate her just yet.

He kissed her softly, gently brushing his lips against hers. Oliver licked his tongue against hers slowly and deliberately, threading it in and out until Felicity's mouth opened wide to receive him. He sucked on her lower lip as he braced her against the wall. Then pulling back, he moved his hand slowly up and over her body. Felicity watched as Oliver gazed upon her, as if he was memorizing every curve, every line. As his hand moved to the hilt of her breast, Oliver switched his gaze to Felicity’s eyes so he could watch her reactions. He moved his hand in deliberate circles, alternating the pressure and intensity. Felicity closed her eyes and tipped her neck back. In the slower movements, the swell had dissipated, but now was growing again… stronger than before. He teased and rolled Felicity's hardened nipple and she began to writhe. She strained against him, but he kept a firm grip on her hips, pushing her away and refusing her any relief.

To frustrate her more, Oliver pulled out slightly, and Felicity groaned in protest. Ignoring her, Oliver used both arms to push her up and pin her against the wall. He bent his head down to trace the length of her neck with his tongue. Slowly he worked his way down to the curve of her breast before slipping his tongue over her nipple, sucking hard until Felicity arched her back in response. His hand played with the other, working in succession, the softness of her breast perfect under his palm. Felicity wrapped her arms tightly around Oliver's neck, her fingers threading through his hair, feeling as if she was going to split in two.

"Oliver… I can't take this… please," Felicity begged.

He pulled away and brought her down around him again, but kept a little distance between them. Oliver slowed his place to achingly deliberate motions, rolling his hips against her gently. She closed her eyes, settling around him. Even though the pace kept the wall of pressure inside her at bay, Felicity was intensely grateful the motions were beginning again.

"Open your eyes. Look at me," Oliver commanded firmly.

Obediently Felicity opened her eyes and met Oliver's gaze. He brought one hand up to her cheek and caressed it slowly. He dropped his voice an octave as he said, "This is your safe place. Right here. Now. With me. Do you believe me?"

With his words, the pressure mounted to an almost blinding level. Trying to focus, Felicity bit her lip and nodded.

"Tell me yes," Oliver whispered.

"Yes," Felicity answered immediately.

Oliver shifted Felicity's hips and locked her into place as she slid against him. Oliver braced himself against the wall again and pushed hard into her with one quick movement. Felicity took a sharp breath inward and her head involuntarily snapped backward. Somehow, the shift in position plunged Oliver in deeper. Deeper than Felicity ever thought possible. Her body's reaction was almost immediate. The swell began to crest as Oliver began to move against her rapidly. Felicity gasped and clung to Oliver desperately, pressing their foreheads together so they were only a breath apart.

"Say it again," Oliver begged breathlessly.

"Yes… yes… yes…" Felicity repeated over and over again as the pressure finally exploded into ecstasy.

She screamed as Oliver moved her up and down, finally allowing her to writhe against him. As one wave ended, Oliver pushed harder and faster causing another to begin. Wave after wave until Felicity saw nothing but blackness. Then, as her body was overcome with weakness, Oliver gave himself over to her. For one perfect moment, in the stillness and warmth, Felicity knew he was hers. Oliver rested his head against Felicity's shoulder, breathing heavily. Felicity ran her hands along the slickness of his back, feeling the tension in his muscles rippling like a tide. Oliver pulled back, lifting his head to kiss Felicity so tenderly, she felt tears spring to her eyes. There was no fear. No guilt. She felt nothing but him surrounding her completely. Felicity knew with certainty that's all she wanted to feel for as long as possible.

As Oliver absentmindedly kissed her neck, Felicity whispered, "Again."  

Oliver pulled away from her neck and stared at her intently as he answered, "Okay."

Felicity pressed her hands to Oliver's face as she kissed him, the engagement ring cool against his cheek. Wordlessly, he shifted Felicity and gathered her into his arms. They didn't stop kissing as Oliver carried her upstairs. As the reached their bedroom, Oliver laid Felicity on the bed, and they began again. All through the rest of the night, they alternated between love making and moments of brief sleep. Every time Felicity woke, she reached for Oliver, until finally, he exhausted her into a lasting, dreamless slumber.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BOLD: Contest Winners. I held polls on my blog that allowed readers to choose certain aspects in the story - from songs to wedding selections. Contest winners are revealed in their first appearance in the story. All contest winners will be published in the final chapter.
> 
> ***Songs I listened to while writing the scene.
> 
> The story is finished. I am posting chapters as my editor finishes edits. 12 Chapters total. 175 pages.

_***Fire Away by Lucy Schwartz_

The sun streamed in through the crack in the curtains, splitting through the darkness in the bedroom. It cast a light across Oliver's back, like the sun rising over the horizon. Felicity had been up for hours watching Oliver sleep peacefully. She lost her peace hours ago, but she didn't want to ruin his. The previous night’s coping mechanism wouldn't work for everyday. She had to face this. So, she gently rolled out of bed, careful not to wake him. She slipped on a pair of yoga pants and tank top. Slipping downstairs, Felicity grabbed Oliver's hoodie off the floor and slipped it over her like a blanket. She walked out to the porch and sat down on the chair, reclining in the sun and lost in thought. A part of her knew what she had to do, but the prospect of it -- and what it would mean -- terrified her.

Oliver awoke alone. Disappointed he quickly slipped on jeans and a white t-shirt. When he went downstairs, he found Felicity on the porch, staring off into space and lost in thought. He slipped out the door and knelt beside her.

"Hey..." he whispered softly, kissing her gently.

"Hey..." she answered, lingering as she returned his kiss.

"I missed you this morning," Oliver chided gently.

"I know. I'm sorry. I didn't want to wake you."

"How long have you been up?"

"Awhile..." Felicity trailed off and stared out at the ocean.

"What's going on up there?" Oliver asked as he swept his hand across Felicity's hair, tapping her forehead softly.

Felicity shrugged, "Nothing. Just… stuff. I'm fine."

She tried to make her voice light, but the pain and guilt from last night was still etched in her tone. She was lying. He was certain. He was also certain… he couldn't help this time. No matter how much he wanted to fix this, he wasn't the one Felicity needed… not right now.

Oliver kissed her gently on the forehead and retreated back into the house, leaving her in peace. He shut the door to the porch carefully behind him and grabbed his phone, hitting a speed dial.

"Hey… it's me. Yeah. Listen… I know this is asking a lot. Especially after… but do you think you could come down?" Oliver paused and watched Felicity outside staring aimlessly. With a heavy voice Oliver explained, "She's not good, Diggle, and I can't help her. She needs you."

_***Fix You by Coldplay_

Diggle only knocked once. Oliver opened the door immediately as if he was waiting by it.

"Hey," Oliver said grimly.

"Hey, man," Diggle answered softly. Oliver held the door open so Diggle could step through. Instantly , his eyes fell upon the glass door in the back and Felicity sitting out on the porch.  "How long has she been out there?"

"For hours," Oliver replied. He noted Diggle was carrying Andy's journal and a brown paper bag. "What's in the bag?"

"Something for her," Diggle replied softly.

"And the journal?" Oliver asked.

"That's for her too," Diggle answered matter of factly.

"Thank you for coming, John," Oliver said.

"Listen, Oliver… about yesterday."

"John, you don't owe me any explanations. I get it. Believe me," Oliver replied sympathetically.

"I know, but..." Diggle faltered, almost ashamed of himself. "I never would have hurt her. You know that, right?"

"Of course," Oliver said. "I wouldn't have called you here if I thought otherwise."

"Have you tried talking to her?"

Oliver shifted and looked down at the floor for a minute before answering evasively, "Sort of." Oliver paused and then said, "The truth is… I think she needs her best friend more than she needs me right now."

Diggle nodded silent and made his way out to the porch. At the sound of someone walking out, Felicity turned. When she saw John stepping out onto the porch, she sat up nervously.

"John? What are you doing here?" Felicity asked.

"I wanted to see how you were doing," Diggle said as he sat down on a chair across from Felicity.

"Me? How I'm doing? Who cares how I'm doing… I mean… you don't need to worry about that," Felicity said softly, her voice quivering as she stared down at her feet.

"Are you alright? You're not hurt -"

"No, I'm good."

"I'm sorry about the gun, Felicity. It was… I'm ashamed of myself," Diggle said.

Eyes to the floor, Felicity answered, "I was more standing in front of it than you were pointing at me."

"Still, no excuse."

"You don't have to apologize to me, John," Felicity said softly, still refusing to look at him.

Diggle followed her gaze and sadly said, "Look at me, Felicity."

She shook her head and whispered, "I can't."

Diggle pulled out the journal and thumbed through it absentmindedly. He glanced out at the ocean for awhile, watching as the waves rolled in. The sound of the ebbing and flowing of water was the only sound between them.  

Diggle said, "You know my first thought when I met you?"

Felicity shook her head, and Diggle smiled.

"She reminds me of Andy."

This made Felicity look up a little, and Diggle continued, "He was really smart, just like you. I mean… off-the-charts smart. My mom was furious when he became a bodyguard."

"Why?"

"She wanted him working in an office… on computers. She thought he wasn't living up to his potential. But I… I wasn't surprised when he took the job."

"How come?"

Diggle grew silent again, his voice heavy with emotion and said, "Andy wasn't a big guy. He was four years younger than me too, so I always felt it was my job to protect him. My senior year… he was just a freshman. One day, he asked me how to throw a punch. He wanted to learn how to fight. I asked him who was bullying him, but he said nobody. He just wanted to learn. So I taught him how to throw a punch. How to take a hit."

Diggle looked out at the ocean again, and when he spoke again, his voice sounded distant. It was almost like he was talking to himself, lost in a memory.

"We would meet in the parking lot, and I'd drive us home. One day Andy didn't show up. I waited forever. Then I heard shouting -- really loud shouting -- at a park across the street. I decided to check it out. There must have been a hundred kids in this huge circle… and there was Andy. Right in the center. Fighting two guys twice his size."

Stunned Felicity said, "What did you do?"

Diggle smiled a little, "It's not what I did. It's what Andy did. He beat the crap out of both of them."

"You didn't jump in?"

Diggle shook his head and said, "No."

"It's… that doesn't seem like you, John," Felicity said softly.

"No, I suppose not. Trust me, I wanted to. It took every ounce of willpower I had not to,  but I knew I couldn't. I saw this look in his eye. It was something he had to do… by himself."

"So these guys were bullying him?"

Diggle looked at Felicity with tears in his eyes and said, "No. Someone in the crowd told me the two guys were beating up on another kid. It'd been going on for awhile, but Andy jumped in that day to stop it. That's who he was. His instinct was to protect. I knew it then, and I know it now."

Felicity looked up and asked, "Why are you telling me this, John?"

Diggle handed Felicity the journal, and she leafed through it a bit. Diggle pointed at it and said, "I read that thing cover to cover. I practically have it memorized. Pages and pages of code. Meets, times and dates. But you know what I never found anything on?"

Felicity finished flipping through the journal. She looked up in surprise and said, "Me."

"Those employment records Andy found in H.I.V.E.'s network led to exactly one person… you. He went dark for a month, but there isn't a single note from that time. Then… he told Lord he found YHWH -- which is technically true -- because he found you. You know what I think?"

Felicity answered, "What?"

Diggle said confidently, "I think Andy followed you the entire month. I think he watched you. Everything you did. Everywhere you went. I know, in my bones, he discovered you were Damien Darhk's daughter. The connections were all there, and like I said, Andy was smart, but he never told a soul. Certainly not Penelope. Nobody at the CIA. By leaving it out the journal, he didn’t even tell me.  You know why?"

Felicity whispered, "Why?"

"Because in that month he watched you, he got to know you. I think he figured out pretty quick you are a good person. You know how I know that?"

Felicity shook her head.

"Because it took Oliver  ten seconds to figure that out. And me… well, it took less than a month," Diggle said as he held Felicity's hand.

A tear rolled down her face, and Diggle wiped it away. Gently he said, "Andy didn't have any backup on that op against Penelope. He never notified the CIA he was investigating her. Lyla checked. There was nothing."

"Why not?"

"I think he was afraid it would lead back to you. If his plan worked, Andy had the evidence he needed without involving you, and if it didn't… well, he knew the risks. He knew the virus could blow his cover, but he did it anyway. Which means he came to a decision about you."

Another tear fell as she whispered, "Which was?"

"First, you are an innocent. Second, you had to be protected… from Penelope, from the CIA, from H.I.V.E. and even from your father. Risking his cover meant he was moving the crosshairs from you to him, because that's what my brother did Felicity. That's who he was."

With a shaking voice, Felicity said, "I'm just afraid whenever you look at me you'll be reminded of why your brother died."

Diggle thought for a moment and then said softly, "No. Andy was just being Andy. There's no blame in that. When I look at you… I'll be reminded that my brother died for something. Something important."

Felicity wrapped her arms around Diggle and tearfully whispered, "I love you, John."

Diggle kissed the top of her head and, with his voice breaking, said, "Kid… you have no idea."

As they separated, Felicity reached for the journal and tried to hand it back to Diggle. He refused, waving her off.

"No, that's yours. I think it's always been yours. "

"Diggle -" Felicity tried to speak, overwhelmed, but Diggle interrupted quickly.

"The work my brother was doing… you're the only one who can continue it. You're the only one who can stop your father."

"I don't know how, John," Felicity replied weakly.

"You will," Diggle answered confidently. He paused and said, "Our parents don't define us, Felicity, nor does our past. We choose who we are."

Diggle stood. Before he turned to leave, he handed the brown bag to Felicity and said, "That's for you."

Confused Felicity asked, "What is it?"  

Diggle smiled softly and said, "A gift."

Felicity glanced inside and looked up at Diggle in shock. He grinned and said, "Barry helped."

Felicity nodded thoughtfully, "Why are you giving it to me?"

Diggle shrugged and said, "Because you know what to do with it."

"I've been thinking about it a lot lately… even before this mess with my father."

"And what do you think?"

Felicity swallowed hard and said, "I think… it's time to come home. It's just..."

"What?"

"I'm scared of what he'll choose," Felicity answered.

Diggle walked towards the door, but before he entered the house, he paused and said, "You don't have to be."

"How can you be so sure?"

Diggle smiled softly and said, "Because Oliver Queen would follow you anywhere, Felicity."

_***Brother by Rivers in the Wasteland_

Felicity took a deep breath, a new sense of resolve and confidence returning to her. Diggle stepped into the house and was instantly greeted by Oliver.

"How is she?" Oliver asked anxiously.

"Geez, dude. Are you lurking?"

"Yes," Oliver deadpanned.

Diggle glanced back towards Felicity and said, "She's not exactly 'the hills are alive' but she's better. She's going to be fine, Oliver."

"What about Lyla and Sara… are they okay? Do you guys need a place to stay?”

Diggle held up his hand and smiled at Oliver's kind offer, "We're good. ARGUS is taking care of us."

"I'm sorry, John… for everything you’ve lost."

"Nothing else matters as long as my family is safe," Diggle answered.

Oliver thought of Felicity and Thea. "Diggle… something is wrong with Thea."

Diggle shrugged and said, "Yeah… the headaches. I know, but she won't see a doctor."

"No… there's more."

Diggle furrowed his brow in confusion and asked, "What?"

"She killed H.I.V.E. agents. A lot of them," Oliver answered grimly.

In shock, Diggle took a step back as if the weight of what Oliver told him would knock him over.

"Has anything like that happened before?" Oliver asked.

"No, we go out as a team. We come back as a team," Diggle answered firmly.

"Always?"

Diggle hesitated and then said, "Well… maybe once. We were chasing down multiple suspects, so we separated. When Laurel & I caught up to Thea, she was alone in an alley talking to herself."

"What do you mean talking to herself?"

"Like she was talking to someone, but nobody was there. When she saw us, she snapped out of it. Said the suspect got away, but..." Diggle trailed off as if he was afraid to consider the alternative.

Visibly concerned, Oliver said, "You need to pull her from the field."

"Agreed."

Gravely Oliver said, "I keep thinking about what Merlyn said about the Pit. Digg… what if he was right? What if Thea came back wrong?"

Diggle took a deep breath and said, "Then there's no better man to make her right than you."

Oliver shuffled his feet a little and looked down at the ground, "Are you saying that because I saved Sara? It doesn't erase what I did, John."

Diggle nodded in agreement, "No, it doesn't. Nothing ever could, Oliver, but it did remind me of what I already knew. You're a good man."

Equally relieved and overwhelmed by Diggle's forgiveness, Oliver felt a swell in his throat. He swallowed it back so he could ask what he needed to.

"You're a better man. In fact… I'm going to need someone like you. What do you think about being my best man?"

Diggle smiled a little and answered, "I think I could handle it. That's what brothers are for right?"

Oliver extended his hand to Diggle and answered, "Right."

Diggle shook Oliver's hand but then pulled him in for a hug. As the two men embraced, the anger, hurt and distrust faded away. As Diggle turned to leave, he paused and said, "Do something for me okay?"

"Name it."

"Listen to what Felicity has to say," Diggle asked softly.

Puzzled Oliver thought of questioning what Diggle meant, but something in his eyes made Oliver fall silent. Instead, he simply answered, "Okay."

_*** When You Sleep by Mary Lambert_

As Felicity entered the house, a strong breeze from the ocean air followed her in. It sent a flutter through the house disturbing everything in its path. In her hand was the brown paper bag. Before Oliver had a chance to speak, Felicity removed the green hood from the bag and set it gently on the kitchen table. Oliver stared at it in shock. A silence stretched between them as long as the ocean shore.

Finally, Felicity began to speak.

"I've been trying to remember when I fell in love with you. I've replayed our entire relationship in a loop… like a greatest-hits album. The good kind. When they actually produced enough music to warrant a greatest-hits album. And the songs are real hits. On vinyl.

Playing along Oliver said, "What did you come up with?"

Felicity shrugged, almost helplessly. As if the question was impossible to answer. As if there were too many moments to choose just one.

"Maybe it was our first date, and you remembered the color of my pen. Or the first time you said you loved me. Maybe when you saved me from the Count. Sometimes I'm certain it was the night in the cafe… when you told me I could trust you. Other times I think it was the first moment. When you walked into my office, with that bullet-ridden computer and your terrible lie, and you smiled at me. Or maybe… maybe I was 10, and it was just the promise of you. I don't know. All I know is… it’s hard to remember a time when I wasn't in love with you."

Felicity stepped forward a little bit and ran her fingers along the edge of hood. Feeling the softness of the leather over her fingertips, she was lost in thought.

"But the night you showed up in my car, bleeding, in this hood… that was the night I understood you. Everything about you finally made sense, like a picture snapping into focus. I could see you for everything you were… and everything you could be. When Diggle shocked your heart, even though I barely knew you, I remember thinking I didn't want to lose you. To be honest, that feeling has never gone away. I don't think it ever will. It's like I'm holding my breath."

"What are you -"

"I love you, Oliver, but I need The Arrow. So does Starling. So does the team," Felicity said firmly.

Resolutely Oliver answered, "There is no more Arrow, Felicity."

"We raised Thea from the dead, Oliver. I think we handle a little PR problem."

A cloud fell over Oliver's face as he answered, "Don't ask me this."

Frustrated Felicity said, "My father is a highly trained assassin with a global terrorist network. He murdered your best friend's brother. He has the power to enter any government, control any weapon. He can topple entire countries with a click of a button. His men are ghosts. Diggle, Thea and Laurel cannot stop H.I.V.E. by themselves, and I'm not going to dump this on them. I have to help. We have to help."

"Then we help… but not as The Arrow," Oliver

"Nobody can do what you can do, Oliver. After all this time… how do you not see that? You're really going to stand there and say no when -”

"I tortured somebody. I tortured Lenov to find you," Oliver interrupted. His voice was deep and low, almost menacing, but underneath was a hint of sadness.

Felicity closed her eyes and whispered, "Oliver..." She stepped around the table and grabbed his hand reassuringly as she said, "You were trying to find me -"

Oliver shook his head and stepped away from Felicity. He sat down at the table and said softly, "You don't understand."

"Then explain it to me."

Oliver looked up at Felicity sadly and said, "The only things I brought back from the island were pain, suffering and darkness. I don't want to be that type of person anymore."

Felicity leaned down and took his hand as she said, "Well, maybe you just need to be a different type of person."

"The only way I know how to fight the darkness is to be darkness. It's why I tortured Lenov. It's what I know. It's who I am when I'm him," Oliver said as he gestured to the hood.

Felicity released his hand and stood up. She crossed her arms and asked, "Would you feel differently if we weren't engaged?"

Stunned Oliver asked, "What?"

"Would you feel differently about putting on this hood if we weren't getting married?"

Angry Oliver stood up from the table. He walked away from Felicity as he said, "What the hell does that have to do with anything?"

Felicity gave rueful chuckle and said, "I think it has a lot to do with it." She nervously twisted the ring back and forth before she slipped it off her finger.

Alarmed Oliver asked, "What are you doing?"

Felicity set it next to the hood and took a deep breath, "I would marry you today. Now. Go down to the justice of the peace and get it done. But I don't want to be looking over my shoulder for the rest of my life either."

"What the hell does that mean?"

Felicity sighed and said," It means… my father wasn't entirely wrong about everything. He said I was meant to be more than a corporate cog in a wheel. The truth is, he's right. These past six months have been the happiest of my life. I'd be lying though if I said something wasn't missing. I miss helping people, Oliver."

"Explain to me how that translates into you taking off the ring," Oliver asked icily.

"It’s because you told me you can't be a hero and a human being," Felicity answered.

Angrily Oliver shot back, "That's not fair."

Exasperated Felicity said, "It's entirely fair!"

"I chose you," Oliver said emphatically. "I asked you to come with me. I built a life with you."

"Yes, I know, and I love you for it. When you asked me to come with you, I said yes because we owed ourselves this time. But, I can't in good conscience stay here in Coast City with you if I know marrying you is holding you back from helping people. It feels selfish. So I'm giving you an out. When you proposed you thought this was going to be our life," Felicity gestured around the beach house. "Me at a security firm. You running a bar. A beach house. Maybe someday the suburbs."

"Is that what you think?" Oliver asked, astounded.

"What I _know_ is I never believed being a hero and a human being were mutually exclusive. You did. I don't want to hold my breath for the rest of my life, waiting to lose you. Waiting for you to decide that I'm better off without you. Waiting for you decide that by leaving me you're protecting me. Whether it's now or five years from now or ten years. I don't want to wake up someday and find you’re gone because you realized you can't be both. I don't want to be another failed experiment."

A hush fell over the house as Oliver absorbed Felicity's words, completely gobsmacked by her honesty. Finally, his voice low and measured,  Oliver asked, "Failed experiment? Why is God's name would you think..."

He trailed off as the realization finally hit him. Felicity wiped away her tears, but refused to look at Oliver.

"Is that… is that what your father called you? He called you a failed experiment?" Oliver asked, his voice hushed in disgust. Felicity didn't answer, but she didn't need to. Oliver closed his eyes with overwhelming sadness and empathy as he whispered her name, "Felicity..."

_***Piece by Piece by Kelly Clarkson_

When Oliver opened his eyes, there was no hesitation or doubt. He was clear and focused. A decision made.

"Do you know when I decided I wanted to marry you?" Oliver asked softly.

The question took Felicity by surprised, and she finally met his gaze. Fear or nerves or both choked her voice, so she simply shook her head in response.

"I went to Central City to help Barry capture Dr. Wells. He got the upper hand. He was just about to kill me when he said the history books say I live to 86 years old."

Her surprise overshadowed her nerves, and Felicity said, "Wow."

"Yeah."

"Why didn't you ever tell me that?" Felicity asked.

Oliver shrugged nonchalantly, "I guess because Wells -"

"Thawne." Felicity corrected him.

"Whatever. He was evil so I figured there was a 50/50 chance he was lying." Oliver explained.

"Makes sense."

"But I realized something," Oliver said softly.

"What?"

"Whether he was telling the truth or not didn't matter. If I didn't have you, 86 years sounded like hell. If Wells was right, and I survived Ra's Al Ghul… I knew I didn't want to live a moment of my life without you, however long it lasts."

Felicity took a sharp breath in as the tears sprang to her eyes.

Oliver looked around their home and said, "I didn't propose because I thought this would be our life forever. I proposed because, whatever comes, you are my life. I need you. If I'm going to become a different type of person, someone better, I can't do it without you."

Oliver stepped towards the kitchen table and picked up the hood and the ring. He held one in each hand, balancing them equally. He gripped the hood in his hand and held the ring out to Felicity. "So… let's do both. A hero and a human being. Together."

Felicity ran to Oliver, closing the distance between them in a few short steps. She flung her arms around his neck as Oliver caught her. With the hood and ring still in each hand, Oliver wrapped his arms tightly around her waist. He held Felicity close as her feet dangled off the ground. Felicity buried her face in his neck, the warmth of his skin intermixing with her tears. A weight lifted, and she felt relief rush through her body. Felicity breathed in deep. He smelled like cotton and ocean air.  The strength of his arms, the weight of his words, gave her an overwhelming sense of certainty… like the last piece of a puzzle clicking into place.

_***Mess Is Mine by Vance Joy_

"So, will you put this back on now?" Oliver asked anxiously, his voice muffled in her shoulder.

Felicity pulled back and laughed through her tears, "Yes."

Oliver smiled, relieved, and slipped the ring back on Felicity's hand.

"Don't ever take it off again. Okay?" Oliver instructed, the worry still evident in his voice.

"Okay, I promise," Felicity whispered. She kissed him, a seal of her commitment and her faith. Washing away the past as the kiss deepened, nothing laid before them but the future. As they broke breathlessly apart, Oliver gently kissed Felicity's forehead while she looked down at her ring, feeling the cold metal grow warm as her blood pulsed around it. An endless circle. An endless dream.

"Stopping your father won't be easy. You know that right?" Oliver asked as they separated.

Felicity nodded and said, "I think I have a way to make it a little easier." She went to her tote and pulled out the manila envelope stamped Palmer Technologies. "Before we left Starling City, Ray Palmer signed over his Palmer Tech shares to me."

"What? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't know. He asked me to sign stuff all the time. I didn't pay any attention. Anyway, the board has lost faith in his abilities as CEO," Felicity explained.

"Because he blew himself up and everyone thought he was dead?" Oliver deadpanned.

"Pretty much. Until he figures out how to control the shrinking, he can't focus on the company. The board wants me to take over. Ray would rather I inherit the company than lose it entirely. It’s why he signed the shares over to me in the first place.”

"What do you want?" Oliver asked gently.

"I want to do it. I think… I think I'll be good at it," Felicity answered.

"No, you'll be great at it," Oliver said with pride.

Felicity smiled and said, "Besides… what better way to fight a multibillion-dollar terrorist organization than with a multibillion-dollar corporation."

"I could use a few new arrows," Oliver said lightly.

Felicity winked at him and said, "Oh… I think we can do better than new arrows. If you're going to be someone new, then you better look the part."

Curious Oliver asked, "What do you have in mind?"

"I think the better question is what does Cisco have in mind? I think we should take him up on his offer."

Oliver nodded in agreement and looked down thoughtfully at Yao Fei's hood.  He handed it to Felicity and said, "Tell Cisco he can make improvements to the hood too."

Surprised Felicity asked, "Are you sure? It means so much to you."

"It does, but I think to be someone new means I have to let go of the past."

Felicity reached up and kissed Oliver gently.

"A new suit is the easy part. I still don't know how we'll stop Damien," Felicity said with a sigh.

"Maybe we're looking at it the wrong way, " Oliver mused.

"What do you mean?"

"Maybe we're too focused on beating Damien Darhk when we should be focused on Elijah Smoak," Oliver explained.

Felicity suddenly got a funny look on her face. Oliver moved his eyes rapidly back and forth as he said, "What?"

"Oliver… you are genius!" Felicity said excitedly. She rushed to the porch where she had left Andy's journal. She furiously began flipping through it.

Oliver came outside and asked again, "Felicity?"

Felicity looked up and smiled, "I think I have an idea how to get The Box back."

Pleased Oliver said, "Okay… what is it?"

Hesitantly Felicity said, "Well… we need to get married. Soon."

"How soon?" Oliver asked.

"A month?" she suggested.

"Works for me," Oliver answered quickly. As they faced the ocean, Oliver wrapped his arms around Felicity's waist and whispered, "The sooner the better."

Felicity hugged Oliver's arms around her and answered, "I agree."

As they stared at the ocean, Oliver's voice suddenly grew heavy with worry. "There's something else..."

"What?"

"Something is wrong with Thea," Oliver said grimly.

Felicity swiveled around in Oliver's arms, so now her back was to the ocean. She leaned up against the railing as she placed her hands on Oliver's face. She answered confidently, "Then we'll deal with that too."

Oliver closed his eyes at her touch, placing his hands over hers and touched their foreheads together. He breathed in deep, reassured.

"I think it's time to go home then."

Pleased Felicity smiled and said, "That's the first time in six months you called Starling City home."

Oliver looked a little perplexed and answered, "Really?"

"Yes," Felicity answered.

"Well, I guess it's because you're my home," Oliver explained.

Felicity kissed Oliver gently in response. The tide was high, and the waves crashed loudly against the shore, sending the sea spray into the air. The sunlight reflected off the white speckled droplets, creating a shimmer all along the shore. As the sun beat down on them as they kissed, Felicity knew for certain she felt the same.

 


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BOLD: Contest Winners. I held polls on my blog that allowed readers to choose certain aspects in the story - from songs to wedding selections. Contest winners are revealed in their first appearance in the story. All contest winners will be published in the final chapter.
> 
> ***Songs I listened to while writing the scene.
> 
> The story is finished. I am posting chapters as my editor finishes edits. 12 Chapters total. 175 pages.

_***Break Me Out by The Rescues_

"A month?" Donna Smoak exclaimed as she and Felicity walked into a bridal salon.

Felicity sighed exasperated, "Yes...a month."

"Felicity Megan Smoak… do you have any idea how long it takes to plan a wedding? Do you have any idea how long it takes to find a dress? To order a dress?" 

Felicity shrugged and said, "Not really. I'm sort of hoping if we throw enough money at it, it'll all work out."

The Smoak women entered the bridal salon just as Donna said, "Are you pregnant?"

Everyone in the store turned to look at Felicity and Donna.

"Thanks Mom," Felicity closed her eyes mortified.

Donna scooted a little closer and lowered her voice, "Well are you?"

"Of course not!"

"I'm just saying… I'm too young to be a grandmother, so if you are we have to figure out a name for me that isn't Grandma."

The attendant led them back to the dressing room. Felicity whispered in angry but hushed voice, "I'm not. Do you think that's the only way Oliver would marry me?"

"That's not what I said sweetheart. I've knew that boy wanted to marry you since the second I met him. He looks at you like he was hit over the head with rainbows."

"Then why-"

"It's just fast okay? I want to be sure you get your dream wedding," Donna explained.

"I have my dream guy. Isn't that enough?" Felicity answered as she settled into a chair in the dressing room.

"Well… how about a dream dress?" the attendant interrupted, trying to keep the appointment on time. "What are you looking for?"

"Classic," Felicity answered.

"Sexy," Donna said at the same time.

Felicity gave her mother a withering look, "Mom… this is my wedding day. I want to look like me.  No see-through corsets. No slits up to my hip bones. No plunging necklines. Let's not make this a replay of my Bar Mitzvah."

"Oh, that rabbi was a stick in the mud. My shoulders were completely covered."

"Your ass wasn't," Felicity muttered under her breath.

"Felicity… your father may have given you your brain, but I gave you that body. It's a crime to not show it off."

At the mention of her father, Felicity became visibly upset. "Can we not bring him into this?"

"Well… you're just like him," Donna said ruefully.

Felicity winced as if Donna slapped her. Her mother noticed the pained look on Felicity's face and her brow furrowed in concern.

"Please don't say that," Felicity said tersely, fighting back tears.

The attendant interrupted again and said, "Ladies… let me see what I can find. I think we'll be able to find a dress that's classic and sexy."

_***Good Mother by Jann Arden_

"Alright. What's going on with you?" Donna asked firmly.

"What?" Felicity answered lightly, but Donna wasn't buying it.

"Every time I mention your father you get this look on this face like..." Donna trailed off.

"Like?" Felicity asked breezily.

"Like… you're in pain. Like it hurts," Donna said softly as she brushed the hair from Felicity's face.

Felicity shrugged and said, "Maybe it does."

The attendant walked back into the room with several dresses. As she hung up the dresses, Donna and Felicity fell silent as their eyes fell on the first **[dress](http://www.marieedusud.com/robe-de-marieacutee-rosa-sirene-en-dentelle-avec-des-bretelles.html)**. The attendant followed their gazes and smiled.

"I guess we'll be trying that one on first."

When Felicity came out, Donna gasped. As Felicity faced herself in the mirror, she felt her heart skip a beat. The **[dress](http://www.marieedusud.com/robe-de-marieacutee-rosa-sirene-en-dentelle-avec-des-bretelles.html)** hugged every curve, but the intricate lace gave it the classic look Felicity desired.

"Holy frack," she whispered.

"It's stunning. Really," the attendant agreed. She smiled as Donna began to wipe the tears from her eyes. "It's normally a good sign when mom cries."

"I think this is it," Felicity said astonished.

"Are you sure sweetheart? It's the very first one," Donna answered.

"Choosing a wedding dress is a lot like choosing a husband," the attendant said gently as she fluffed Felicity's train. "When you find the one… you know."

Looking in the mirror, Felicity felt a certainty settle inside her. No different than when she was with Oliver.

"Yes. This is my **[dress](http://www.marieedusud.com/robe-de-marieacutee-rosa-sirene-en-dentelle-avec-des-bretelles.html)**. How soon can we have it delivered?"

"Typically it takes about 4 months..."

"She needs it in three weeks," Donna interrupted. The attendant tried to cover up her shock, and Donna gave Felicity an "I told you so" look.

"That's going to be tough -"

Felicity handed her the credit card and said, "I don't care what it costs."

"Then it shouldn't be a problem," the attendant said brightly. It was then Felicity's turn to give her mother an "I told you so" look.

As the attendant rushed to the backroom to place the order, Donna stood and wrapped her arms around Felicity's waist. The two women stared at their reflections.

"When I say you're like your father, it's because I see the very best parts of him in you," Donna said gently, offering an explanation.

Felicity nodded and gripped her mother's arm tightly as she whispered, "Thank you Mom."

Perplexed Donna asked, "For what?"

"For staying. For raising me. For loving me. For being you. I don't think you give yourself enough credit. I think I get the best parts of me from you. Not him."

Overcome by Felicity's declaration, Donna turned her to face her. Placing her hands on Felicity's Donna whispered fiercely, "The only thing I ever needed you to be was you." As tears sprang to Felicity eyes, Donna continued, "And who you are is more than I ever dreamed possible."

The two women hugged tightly and Felicity whispered, "I love you, Mom."

"I love you…" Donna turned Felicity to face the mirror as the attendant came back with a veil. As Donna fitted it to Felicity's head she whispered, "My beautiful girl."

_***Build It Better by Aron Wright_

Since Oliver and Felicity moved back to Starling, Oliver had thrown himself into caring for Thea. At Felicity's urging, they moved into the same apartment building, renting a loft just a few doors down. Whatever darkness was inside of her had a powerful hold. Oliver spent hours training and meditating with Thea, to help her gain control. The wedding was also a good distraction. As maid of honor, Thea was busy helping Felicity. Oliver noticed Thea's old spark coming back. Although she had improved over the three weeks, she still suffered from the headaches. Oliver was not convinced she was ready for the field.   

As Oliver walked down the hall towards Thea's apartment for meditation, he nearly collided with Laurel.

"Hey," Oliver said surprised. "Checking on Thea?"

"Yeah," Laurel answered cooly and she brushed passed him.

Oliver sighed. She'd been like this since he returned. Laurel barely spoke three words to him at any given time, and when she did, they weren't particularly warm.

"Laurel?" Oliver called out to her as she headed down the hall. "Are you ever going to tell me what I did that ticked you off so much?"

Laurel froze. She turned slowly and cross her arms defiantly, "Yeah. You came back."

"What's that suppose to mean?" Oliver asked tersely.

"Just that. You were done Oliver, and you should have stayed done."

Confused Oliver said, "Felicity and I wanted to help. With everything going on with Thea and H.I.V.E..."

"I'm not talking about Thea. You don't need to hood-up to be Thea's brother, and we could have handled H.I.V.E," Laurel interrupted.

"I know you can. My coming back isn't a reflection on you, Laurel. The city was in excellent hands. It still is," Oliver offered. "So why don't you tell me what this is really about."

Laurel softened a bit and hesitantly said, "I just… don't want you to ruin your second chance."

"What do you mean?"

Laurel bit her lower lip and fought back tears as she said, "I started wearing this mask for Sara. You know that… but all of this wedding stuff reminds me this was never the life I planned. I always thought I'd have a successful career, get married, maybe have a few kids..."

Uncomfortable, Oliver said, "Laurel… look. You and I-"

Laurel held up her hand and said, "This isn't about you and me… or at least… not in the way you think. We were over a long time ago, long before I even realized it. I'm happy for you, Oliver. I'm happy for Felicity. I just don't want you to look back when you should be looking forward."

It suddenly dawned on Oliver the meaning behind Laurel's words. He whispered, "Tommy."

At the sound of Tommy's name, Laurel's tears spilled over, only this time she didn't wipe them away.

"I was so focused on fixing something that couldn't be fixed, or shouldn't be fixed, that I missed what I had. I was so busy looking back with you that I missed my future with Tommy. When I finally realized it, it was too late. He was gone."

"I'm sorry," Oliver replied, his voice thick with guilt.

Laurel shook her head and said, "I want to hate you for it, but I can't. I made my own choices. On the other hand, I can't stand you blowing your second chance with Felicity like I did with Tommy."

"That's not what I'm doing. This was Felicity's decision as much as it was mine. This is the life we want," Oliver explained gently.

"I know it's none of my business. I just… I just miss him, and being pissed off at you feels better than missing him or at least it stops me going to a bar," Laurel explained.

"I understand. I miss him too," Oliver said gently.

Laurel nodded and turned to leave, but Oliver called out to her again. At the sound of her name, she turned and looked at Oliver expectantly.

"Sara once told me we're not our masks. She said we need people in our lives who don't wear them. Don't make the same mistake I did. Don't hide behind the mask. If there's anything being with Felicity has taught me, it's we get more than one second chance. But… you have to be able to see it when it comes along."

Laurel smiled a little and teased, "Very sage advice."

"I think I've been hanging out with Diggle too long," Oliver teased back.

"Well, there are worse things," Laurel replied. Her smile faded as she said, "I never even told him I loved him."

"He knew Laurel," Oliver answered.

"How could he? I didn't know until he died,” she whispered. Shaking her head as if to rid herself of the thought, Laurel said, “Thea is waiting for you."

Oliver knocked gently on Thea's door just as Laurel called out to him.

"Ollie?"

Oliver looked up expectantly and said, "Yeah."

"It's good to have you back. We're a stronger team with you," Laurel said. A peace offering.

Oliver smiled at Laurel in response. Thea opened the door. When Oliver looked back down the hall, Laurel was gone.

"Hey. How are you today?" Oliver asked.

"I'm fine. It's your fiancée I'm worried about."

Concerned Oliver asked, "What do you mean?"

"I mean she's wigging out Oliver. I called her about place settings, and she flipped out."

"About what?"

"I don't know. There's only like sixteen people coming. I think the stress is getting to her. You should talk to her."

"But -"

"The candles will keep bro. Go," Thea ordered.

_*** Hometown Glory by Adele_

Oliver heeded Thea's advice and made his way towards Palmer Technologies. As rain drizzled down from the grey skies, Oliver slipped on the hood from his green sweatshirt.  While traveling through town, he noticed a large crowd gathering on edge of The Glades. Protesters were calling for clean water and heat. Perplexed, Oliver stepped into the crowd. Jessica Danforth, an old friend of his mother's, was giving a speech. Behind her was a sign reading "Danforth For Mayor". Oliver listened quietly as Jessica spoke and her eyes fell on him. Oliver could see she recognized him. After the speech was over, Oliver went over to her.

"Jessica?" Oliver asked.

"Oliver! It's wonderful to see you again," she said as she hugged him. "It's been a long time."

"Too long. You're running for mayor?"

"Yes. Not very well," Jessica replied ruefully.

"Pretty dangerous gig. The last three mayors have been killed and I don’t need to remind you what happened to my mother," Oliver warned.

Jessica shrugged and said, "No you don’t, but somebody needs to lead this city, Oliver, otherwise it'll crumble before our very eyes."

"What's the protesting about?" Oliver asked.

Jessica glanced over at the protesters and sighed, "The Glades water-treatment plant was damaged in the quake. The damage went unchecked, and now the water filtering into The Glades is polluted. Their electricity costs have also skyrocketed in the past two years, but nobody has been able to come up with a solution, including me."

"People shouldn't have to fight for their survival in their own homes," Oliver said.

Impressed Jessica said, "That was quite poetic, Oliver. I couldn't agree more."

Oliver paused and said, "I may have an idea, but I need to check on a few things first. Could I give you a call Monday?"

Jessica enthusiastically said, "Yes, I'd be thrilled. I could use someone like you on the campaign. Call my office. Come in whenever you want. I'd love to hear your ideas."

Oliver shook her hand and said, "It was good to see you again, Jessica."

"You too, Oliver, and thank you again for getting involved. Your mother would be proud."

_*** King by Lauren Aquilina_

When Oliver reached Felicity's office he hung back, just outside the door, a smile playing on his lips. He thoroughly enjoyed watching her run the world. She was on a conference call, typing on the computer and issuing instructions to her executive assistant Jerry. Jerry was simultaneously taking notes on the conference call, listening to Felicity's instructions and answering phones on his headset.

"Yes, I am well aware the stock took a hit after Mr. Palmer's incident, but we have seven projects launching in Q3 that will eradicate any losses. It's simply a matter of rebuilding the stockholders’ trust."

Jerry held up a finger, and Felicity hit the mute button, "Your mother is on three."

"About what?"

"Flowers… again."

"Jerry-"

"Ms. Smoak, I have tried to get her off the posy parade for the last three hours. This is her eighth phone call. She's not budging. Flowers today."

"Can I move the thing -"

"No."

"How about the -"

"No."

"Or the meeting with -"

"No, and I already canceled Wayne Enterprises twice so don't even ask."

Felicity sank into her chair and groaned. Oliver decided this was his cue and sauntered into the office.

"Hey," he whispered as he kissed Felicity on the lips softly. She was about to answer, but then held up a finger to hold her thought. Jumping back into the conference call Felicity said, "I can move up three of the projects to Q2, but that's it."

The conference call finally ended. As she hung up, Felicity looked up at Oliver completely exhausted.

"Hey."

"Busy?" Oliver asked, a teasing lift in his voice. Jerry shot him a withering look.

“You have another conference call with Wayne Enterprises in 15 minutes,” Jerry added.

“Wayne Enterprises?” Oliver asked, a hint of displeasure in his voice.

“Yes…” Jerry answered warily, obviously confused.

Felicity sighed, “Ignore him, Jerry. Oliver is weirdly competitive with Bruce Wayne.”

“I am not!” Oliver protested, but when Felicity gave him an incredulous look he relented, “The guy is a dick.”

“Maybe, but he wants to invest in four projects. It could stop our financial tailspin,” Felicity countered.

“Fine. He’s a magnanimous dick,” Oliver offered with a wink.

Felicity smiled in return and asked, "Jerry, do you think you could give us a minute?"

"You don't have a minute, Ms. Smoak," Jerry answered.

"Jerry… hold all my calls," Felicity said firmly.

"Alright, but this will leave you no time to eat which means I'll have to spoon-feed you yogurt before the Danforth meeting again," Jerry said as he huffed out of the room.

"Spoon-feed?" Oliver asked.

Felicity sighed, "It's a long story."

"Sorry, is this a bad time? Thea was worried -"

"Oliver… I don't know what I was thinking. I'm trying to run a multibillion-dollar corporation which, news flash to me, I've never done before. Meanwhile, I'm simultaneously planning a wedding and launching a super-secret attack against a global terrorist network. I can multitask on top of my multitasking but I might be reaching my limit. Also, my mother is mad at me, because I've canceled our floral appointment three times."

"Well… I'll go with her."

Felicity brightened, "You will?"

"Sure. Just tell me what you want,"

"Honestly… I don't care at this point. Just reign her in. As long as it doesn't look like a Laura Ashley explosion, I'll be happy."

"I don't know who Laura Ashley is."

"Consider yourself lucky," Felicity said dryly. She brightened suddenly and said, "But… since I have you here. Cisco sent me the design for your new suit."

Felicity pulled up the design on her iPad and handed to Oliver. A deep-green leather intermixed with slices of black gave the suit an almost shadow-like appearance. It was sleek yet strong. Familiar but new. Felicity wrapped her arm around Oliver's arm and nuzzled his shoulder.

"You like?"

"Yeah," Oliver answered, amazed.

"The black is League protective armor. Since you like to get shot and stabbed, Cisco thought it'd be a good idea. I really agreed. So, I sent word to Nyssa."

"And she agreed?"

"Sure. She knows what it's like being married to you," Felicity said with a wink. Oliver gave her an annoyed look and Felicity responded, “That’s never going to be funny is it?”

Oliver shook his head and said, “No.” He motioned to the drawing and asked, “What else?

"Cisco added a bunch of tech. Comm system wired through the hood, more room for pointy things..." Felicity paused and said, "That came out really wrong."

Oliver shook his head in amusement and asked, "What about the sleeves?"

Felicity brightened, "You like?"

Oliver shrugged, "Well..."

"The shoulder pads are removable," Felicity added.

"Why?"

"So it can be more sleeveless," Felicity explained as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. When Oliver still looked skeptical, Felicity crossed her arms defiantly. "Look buddy. If we're doing this thing, then I'm going to need something to enjoy. While I appreciated the leather, your last suit covered up way too much of this," Felicity motioned to Oliver's entire body.

"So you went with arms?" Oliver asked, a little embarrassed.

"Well, that's what Cisco agreed to do. My initial suggestion was rejected," Felicity muttered bitterly.

"What was the initial suggestion?"

"Suspenders," Felicity replied matter of factly.

"And that's it?" Oliver asked.

"Bullet proof ones!" Felicity exclaimed defensively.

Oliver laughed and said, "Remind me to thank Cisco later."

"You can thank me. The suspenders were based on League armor, so we expanded it," Felicity explained.

"Thank you," Oliver whispered gratefully and kissed Felicity softly.

"Well, I like all your pieces but I prefer them in all in one," Felicity added sweetly.

"Next question is… what's my name? Can't be The Arrow," Oliver said thoughtfully.

He and Felicity stared at the mock-up of the suit for several minutes.

"Anything?" Felicity asked.

"Nope," Oliver answered.

"Yeah, me neither. Let's table that for the moment." Felicity slid the screen to the side and said, "That's the new Arrow cave."

Oliver sighed and said, "Please don't call it that."

"Let it go. It's happening. You can't stop it," Felicity shot back.

Diggle and Oliver scoured the city for another location, until Felicity concluded they already had the perfect location in the basement of Palmer Technologies.

"It'll be deep underground. Access security panels hidden here and here. I have security cameras hidden here, here, here, here… and here."

Oliver raised his eyebrows and said, "You sure that's enough? We shouldn't have one here?"

Felicity considered it for a moment, but then she saw a glint in Oliver's eyes and realized he was teasing. She swatted his shoulder and said, "I want to see anyone coming our way."

Multiple glass cases reflected the growing team and Starling's many masked heroes. A large, circular table was in the center of the room. No head, each place equal to the other. It reminded Oliver of the Knights of the Round Table, one of the few books he read in high school. It reflected the new team too. He was re-joining Team Arrow to be part of it, not to lead it. Felicity's workspace in the lair was elevated off the ground and expanded so she could increase the tech, by a lot. Oliver insisted on a security shield, which Applied Sciences was designing. He wanted Felicity's space to be the safest place to be in the new lair, just in case they were ever infiltrated again. He smiled a little when he saw his expanded work-out area. The salmon ladder was placed directly in front of Felicity's computer again.

"I see you found a place for the salmon ladder," Oliver said.

Felicity shrugged, "If it's not broke, don't fix it. That spot worked for me the last three years. You?"

"I'm good. More than good. This is amazing. But… I'm concerned. You were all in Lance's crosshairs when he found the old lair. I don't want that to happen again."

"I've taken extra precautions," Felicity said.

"How? This building will lead right back to you," Oliver argued.

"Do you think this is my first rodeo? Oliver, please. I took a page from your mother and my father. I own Palmer Technologies... not the building. The building is owned by a conglomerate hidden under layers and layers of shell corporations, or at least that’s the way it’ll to look. It will make serving a warrant incredibly difficult. For anyone to find our connection to anything in that basement, building included, they'd need well... me," Felicity explained. She wrapped her arms around Oliver's waist and said, "We're in this together remember?"

Oliver nodded quietly and kissed Felicity gently. Then he whispered, "Plus when you marry me you won't be able to testify against me in court."

"Lucky you," Felicity whispered back, matching Oliver's teasing voice. They kissed for awhile longer, and when Felicity pulled back she broke out into a huge smile. "I have a surprise for you. Consider it an early wedding present."

"Felicity... you're marrying me. Trust me, that's gift enough," Oliver protested.

Felicity scooted over to her desk, almost giddy with excitement. She pulled out a large poster board and held it up, eyes gleaming. It was a mock-up of the corporate center. The large blue Q was fully restored on the side of the building, just like it was when his family ran the company. Instead of Palmer Technologies or Queen Consolidated, it was remodeled with Q Inc.

"I'm still working on the logo a bit. I liked the sound of Queen Inc., but I wanted to get your thoughts -- and Thea's -- before I moved forward."

"Felicity..." Oliver tried to speak, but there were no words. Felicity was immediately pleased by Oliver's astonishment. Finally, the shock wore off a bit so he could speak. "What do you mean me and Thea?"

"Oh… right. There's so much going on I forget what I told you and what I haven't." Felicity set down the poster board and walked over to Oliver. She grabbed his hand and said happily, "I restored your shares in the company -- Thea's too -- just as they were when your parents were running things.

Oliver said softly, "You didn't have to do that."

"Yes, I did. This was your family's company. Your parents’ company. Now it's back exactly where it always should have been… in the Queen family," Felicity explained earnestly.

"But the name change. Felicity, you're CEO. This is your company..." Oliver argued.

Felicity looked a little surprised. Hesitantly, she said, "I know that. I'm not hiring you, Oliver. You were a terrible CEO."

"Then why..."Oliver asked confused.

"Because Queen is my name too… at least it will be. Right?" Felicity explained.

Oliver felt tears spring to his eyes. He bent down and kissed her. He gathered Felicity up in his arms tightly, as if to reassure himself she was real, that he was truly this lucky to have found her. When he finally let go, Felicity was breathless.

"Right," Oliver answered, as he swept a piece of hair from Felicity's face.

She tilted her head to the side and said, "Well, now that we have it clear I won't hire you… any thoughts on what you'd like to do?"

"I heard Jerry mention you are meeting with Jessica Danforth," Oliver said.

"Yes. She wants Pal- I mean Queen Inc. to donate to her campaign," Felicity answered.

"She's an old family friend, my mother's best friend in fact," Oliver offered. "I ran into her before I came here. She was giving a speech. In fact, I tried to discourage her from running."

"That's understandable. At this point, I'm surprised Starling City still has elections. With the mayoral death rate, they should just take whoever volunteers," Felicity said sarcastically.

"She told me The Glades water supply was polluted from the quake, and electricity costs are out of control." Oliver paused and said, "I was reading up on Applied Sciences this past week… the cogeneration project?"

"Ah… yes. That was Ray's brainchild. It was forgotten in the midst of his suit creation, like a lot of things around here. Why are you asking?"

"It's a good idea. We should do it. Give away Queen Inc.'s excess energy for free," Oliver explained.

"Sounds good to me," Felicity said.

"What do you think about keeping the Queen name out of it?" Oliver asked hesitantly.

Felicity looked confused for a moment, but then she realized why Oliver wanted to remain anonymous. "You don't want your family's involvement with Merlyn and the earthquake machine to politically interfere with helping out The Glades."

Oliver nodded, "Right. I thought we could ask Jessica to use it as one of her platforms. Help launch it once she's in office."

"In exchange for our financial support," Felicity added. "Pretty brilliant, Mr. Queen."

Oliver moved to the window and stared down at the city for a long time. Very softly he said, "Jessica asked me to join her campaign. I was thinking… maybe I could be the liaison between the campaign and Queen Inc. I could make sure the cogeneration project gets off the ground, and that it's being used to help the people of The Glades. What do you think? Is that… I don't know. Is that stupid?"

Felicity walked over to the window and wrapped her arm around Oliver's. She kissed his shoulder and pressed her nose to it before she spoke. "I think you'd be amazing, Oliver. And who knows…Mayor Queen has a nice ring to it.”

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. I’ve just been thinking, maybe there's more than one way to save this city," Oliver said as he wrapped his arm around Felicity.

"A hero and a human being," Felicity said softly as the two stared down at the city and the bustling traffic below. After a moment of peaceful silence Felicity nudged Oliver and said, "You know this means you're acknowledging Ray had a good idea."

"Every solution has a downside," Oliver sighed.

Felicity laughed and said, "Does this mean you're going to call him Ray?"

"Don't push it," Oliver said flatly.

Felicity laughed again but it was cut short when she suddenly let go of Oliver in a panic.

"What?" he asked concerned.

"I was so busy freaking out about the place settings -"

"For sixteen people," Oliver said pointedly.

"Sixteen. Lance is coming," Felicity said. When Oliver looked at her skeptically, she said, "Consider it a peace offering."

"Fine… what else are you freaking out about?"

"I forgot to ask Thea if she got her bridesmaid dress," Felicity said as she rapidly texted Thea.

"Yeah… about that. Are we sure about green?" Oliver asked hesitantly.

Felicity looked up from her phone and said, "What do you mean?"

"You don't think it's a little on the nose?” Oliver motioned to the Felicity's computer with Cisco's drawing.

Felicity rolled her eyes and said, "I'll have you know, Oliver Queen, green was my signature color long before you started running around the forests of Lian Yu. You think because I chose green for bridesmaid dresses everybody is going to think you are the Green-"

She stopped short. Oliver and Felicity flicked their eyes to each other, and a slow smile spread over their faces.

"Well… I guess that solves the name problem," Felicity said satisfied.

"I guess so. Does that mean you're going to change the color?" Oliver asked hopefully.

Felicity chuckled, "Hell no. Oliver, you ran around in a hood, with no mask, for the better part of a year and not a single person figured out you were The Hood. I'm pretty sure bridesmaid dresses aren't going to be the tip off."

"That's fair. Green it is."

_*** What A Good Woman Does_

Oliver jogged down to the floral store to meet Mrs. Smoak. As he entered, he saw Donna in the midst of an in-depth discussion over varying colors of roses. When she heard the door open, she brightened, but her face immediately fell when she saw Oliver.

"Oh, it's you," she said flatly, clearly irritated.

Oliver hesitated and said, "Sorry. Felicity was too busy with work. So she asked me to help."

Donna muttered bitterly, "She's always too busy with work." Off Oliver's look, Donna paused and said, "Did she leave any instructions?”

Oliver pulled a note out of his pocket and read off it, "No Laura Ashley."

Donna rolled her eyes, "I put that wallpaper up when she was nine, and I have never heard the end of it. Do you have any idea how expensive Laura Ashley wallpaper was?"

Oliver shook his head diligently, and Donna tapped her feet in frustration, "How much do you care about floral arrangements, Oliver?"

"Uh..." Oliver answered hesitantly.

"That's what I thought. What's going on with her, Oliver?" Donna asked, crossing her eyes and eyeing Oliver suspiciously.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean… this wedding. It's so fast. She barely has time to plan it. It's just not the way I imagined us doing this," Donna said sadly.

Oliver offered, "She's just really busy with work, Donna."

"No, it's more than that. She was upset when I mentioned her father in the bridal salon. Now she sends you to handle flowers. I feel like she's avoiding me."

"She's not," Oliver said firmly.

"Then explain to me why she refuses to get married in a synagogue?" Donna asked.

Surprised Oliver said, "What?"

"Is that you? Because I always thought you were supportive of our faith, and I just -"

Oliver held up his hand to stop her and said, "Donna, if Felicity wanted to get married on Mars, I would say yes. I had no idea she changed the venue."

"Why wouldn't she discuss it with you?"

"Honestly, I think she's having trouble keeping track of what she's discussed with me and what she hasn't. She's been busy."

"I understand that but it's just odd. And she's invited so few people."

"Well… neither of us have much family so..." Oliver said trailing off as he thought of his parents.

Donna bit her lip and grabbed Oliver's hand as she said, "I'm sorry, Oliver. Of course I understand the guest list. I just feel like something is wrong with her. Almost like..." Donna paused and asked suddenly, "Has her father contacted her?"

"What?" Oliver asked stunned. "No… not that I know of."

Donna eyed Oliver suspiciously and said, "You're a bad liar. Anyone ever tell you that?"

"Yes, your daughter. Apparently it's Smoak-women specific," Oliver sighed exasperated.  

Donna looked at Oliver expectantly and said, "I'm waiting for an explanation, young man."

"I don't think her father contacted her. I just think he's on her mind a lot lately. I think the fact that he won't be there on her wedding day is bothering her more than she wants to admit. So she's trying to limit things that reminded her of that," Oliver explained, intricately weaving the truth and lies in perfect balance.

Satisfied Donna nodded in agreement. "I guess that makes sense. My husband… well, ex-husband… was a complicated man."

"How so?"

Donna shrugged, "He was passionate. He saw the world differently than everyone else. He wanted to make it better. But I think he lost sight of what was most important."

"You and Felicity," Oliver added.

Donna wiped a tear away, "I never wanted Felicity to hate him because he loved her desperately, Oliver. The things he did, the laws he broke… he was trying to make the world better. He always believed that was the best way to be a father. He left me before I had the chance to tell him what a total moron he is. The only thing Felicity ever needed was for her father to be there. It's the one thing I could never give her."

Oliver hugged Donna and whispered, "I don't think that's the only thing she needed. She needed you too."

Donna laughed off Oliver's compliment awkwardly, suddenly embarrassed. "I think I embarrass her mostly."

Oliver shook his head and said, "No. She loves you very much, Donna. And the strength I love about her, her fire, she gets from you."

A little overwhelmed, Donna said, "Thank you, Oliver."

An awkward beat passed between them and Oliver said, "Well… we should be pick out some flowers."

"You have bigger problems than flowers, kid. You don't have a venue."

Oliver brightened and said, "I might have an idea, but I'll need your help."

Pleased, Donna smiled and said, "Lead the way! Flowers can wait."

_***Mary You by Bruno Mars_

Felicity's limo pulled up to the front of soon-to-be Queen Inc.She was surprised to see Jerry waiting for her. He quickly opened her door.

"Jerry? What are you doing down here?"

"We have somewhere to be," he said anxiously.

Felicity sighed, "Normally you wait until I get to my office before you start barking my schedule at me. The elevator ride to my office is my quiet time, Jerry. My me time," Felicity said wistfully.

Jerry glanced at his watch and gave Felicity an irritated look.

"Okay, okay. I'm going."

Jerry led Felicity to the elevator and hit the top floor button. She gave him a withering look.

"You came all the way downstairs to tell me I needed to go to my office? Really, Jerry? I think you are taking this schedule thing a little too far. Do you have any hobbies?"

"No," Jerry said flatly. "And we're not going to your office."

The elevator door opened, Jerry hopped out and began walking towards the end of the hall. Felicity had to almost run to keep up with him. He opened the door to the stairwell.

"Jerry… those are the stairs."

"Yeah."

"We're already on the top floor," Felicity argued, crossing her arms.

"Technically… there's one more," Jerry answered firmly. He pointed up the stairs. "Chop, chop. We're -"

Felicity sighed, "I know we’re on a schedule. Is the construction team working on taking down the Palmer Tech sign? Because I didn't approve anything yet, Jerry."

"It's not that. Although… it is Queen related," Jerry answered cryptically, a smile playing on his lips.

As they reached the top of the stairs, Jerry opened the door for Felicity to the roof of Queen, Inc. Felicity gasped in shock. The roof was bustling with workers, with Donna happily in the middle giving orders. Oliver stood off to the side, arms crossed and relaxed. When he saw Felicity, he brightened.

"Hey!" he called out as he waved her over. Donna turned and squealed as she saw her daughter.

"Oh sweetie… isn't this just perfect?" Donna said as she happily jumped up and down.

Dumbfounded Felicity asked, "Perfect for what?"

"The wedding silly!" Donna said. "It was Oliver's idea."

Oliver tilted his head and said, "No synagogue remember?"

Felicity's hands flew to her head and said, "Holy frack. I completely forgot. I didn't tell you."

Oliver grabbed her hand reassuringly and pulled her over to him. "It's fine. You've had a lot on your plate."

Felicity glanced at her mother, but she was busy barking orders again. She said in a hushed voice, "He built me a synagogue on the island… and now I just..."

Oliver kissed her forehead and whispered, "I understand. I took care of it."

Felicity looked around in amazement and said, "The roof?"

Oliver shrugged and said, "Yeah. The location is private. The security will be easy. Plus this way, we bring the wedding to you. Everything will be a few stairs away, so you and your mom can plan. Your mom told me she can put a huppa anywhere, so I thought "roof".  And… this is where we first met… sort of. But if you don't like it, we can change it -"

Felicity interrupted Oliver with a kiss. When she broke away, there were tears in her eyes. "It's perfect. Thank you."

"I booked 20 minutes, let's get cracking," Jerry said firmly.

"The florist is over there," Oliver said softly. "Go ahead."

Felicity kissed him one more time, and then met the florist in front of the huppa being constructed in the center of the roof. She fell happily into conversation with the florist as Donna and Oliver watched from a distance.

"You did good, Oliver," Donna said as she squeezed Oliver's hand.

"I just want her to be happy," Oliver said softly, as he gazed at Felicity adoringly.

"She's marrying you, so she will be," Donna said firmly. Surprised, Oliver turned, and Donna smiled at him, her eyes shining with tears. With her voice heavy with emotion, she said, "She's my beautiful girl, Oliver, and you're the man for her."

Donna gave Oliver a soft kiss on the cheek before joining Felicity with the florist. As Oliver watched the busy activity around him, his fiancée happily planning their wedding, he was filled with an overwhelming sense of peace. When Felicity called him over, anxious to make decisions with him, Oliver knew he was finally doing more than surviving. He was living.

_*** The Devil Within by Digital Daggers_

Across the world, hidden in an apartment in deep inside North Korea, Penelope Lord paced nervously back and forth.

"Tell them I can't wait anymore. We meet tonight. Good." Penelope pulled the USB drive from her pocket and gripped it tightly in her hand. "And tell him if he throws in another million, I'll reveal who the real Arrow is.” Satisfied, Penelope hung up the phone.

There was no sound. Only the burning fire of cold metal slicing from her back to her abdomen. Penelope looked down at the blade of the sword protruding from her stomach, as if it was created from thin air. Like magic.

As quickly as the blade went in, it was removed with equal speed, sending a blinding white pain through her. Penelope crashed to the floor and turned to face her attacker dressed in League of Assassin armor. She had planned everything so carefully, but how do you plan for a shadow? As he took the drive from her hand, Penelope gasped her last breath. Of course she didn't see him coming.

After all… he's The Magician.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BOLD: Contest Winners. I held polls on my blog that allowed readers to choose certain aspects in the story - from songs to wedding selections. Contest winners are revealed in their first appearance in the story. 
> 
> ALL CONTEST WINNERS ARE PUBLISHED IN THIS CHAPER. If the links for the contest winners don’t work all the winners are listed at the end of the story with images.
> 
> ***Songs I listened to while writing the scene.

_***When I Was Younger by Liz Lawrence_

Finally, the wedding day arrived. Oliver and Felicity used offices at the newly minted Queen Inc. to get ready. Donna finished fitting [Felicity's ](http://www.marieedusud.com/robe-de-marieacutee-rosa-sirene-en-dentelle-avec-des-bretelles.html)veil, and she turned to face her bridal party. Thea, Lyla and Caitlin gasped.

"Wow," Lyla said.

"Really?" Felicity asked anxiously.

"Yeah, my brother is going to faint," Thea added approvingly.

"Well, I'd prefer him conscious, so let's hope that doesn't happen."

"Okay ladies… time for a bit of tradition," Caitlin said with a glint in her eye. She picked up a little white bag, handed it to Felicity and said, "For you."

"You didn't have to get me anything," Felicity said.

"Yes, we did," Lyla said as she fingered the diamond pendant Felicity gifted all of her bridesmaids.

"I agree with Mrs. Diggle… and also reference tradition again," Caitlin argued pointedly.

Felicity opened the bag and blushed a little as she took out a blue lace garter.

"Your dress is your something new, and this is your something blue," Caitlin winked.

"I stitched something on the inside," Lyla said softly.

Felicity turned the garter over and said, "De Opresso Liber."

"It means to ‘liberate the oppressed’. It's the Special Forces motto," Lyla explained. When Felicity gave her a bewildered look Lyla smiled a little and continued, "I think that the work you are doing..." she paused and glanced hesitantly at Felicity's mother, "with Oliver, helping Starling, is doing exactly that. You are one of the bravest people I know Felicity."

Felicity hugged Lyla tightly and whispered, "Thank you."

As they parted, they both wiped tears from their eyes. Thea took a deep breath and said, "Okay, my turn."

She handed Felicity a small jewelry box. Inside was a stunning diamond bracelet.

Thea smiled and said, "This is your something borrowed. This was my mother's. It was my favorite as a little girl. In fact, I use to sneak into her room and steal it. And Oliver, he never made me put it back. Instead, he would loop it around my wrist to make sure it stayed on. Most of my mother's jewelry was auctioned off, but he made sure I got to keep this. I think he'll be really happy to see it on your wrist today."

"Thea..." Felicity was speechless. Thea wrapped her arms tightly around Felicity and tearfully whispered, "You were always my family, but now it's official."

"I love you, Thea," Felicity whispered back.

Thea took the bracelet and clasped it around Felicity's wrist. A huge, pleased smile spread over her face as she looked up at Felicity and said, "Perfect."

Donna took Felicity's hand and handed her a larger jewelry box, "My turn. Open it up, baby."

Felicity took a deep breath and gasped when she saw the box's contents. Inside was a stunning pearl necklace. Felicity looked up at her mother and said, "Mom… you cannot afford this."

"Well, technically I can since my daughter is a billionaire, but I didn't buy this. This necklace was your grandmother's. This is your something old." Donna turned Felicity to face the mirror, and she clasped the necklace around her neck. "When we were broke and had nothing, I sold everything I could, but I could never sell this. It was all I had left of my mom. And because I was saving it for your wedding day."

Donna wrapped her arm around Felicity's waist, and the two women stared at their reflection in the mirror. "You are beautiful, my girl. You ready?"

Felicity nodded happily, "Yes. You?"

Donna turned, and Felicity gently stroked her face as she tearfully answered, "No… but I don't think I ever will be."

Thea said, "Well… I'll check on the groom. See if he's ready to get this show on the road."

"Oh, Thea… tell me how he reacts to your [dress](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/382454193333565348/), okay?" Felicity said with a devilish grin.

"No detail spared. I promise," Thea answered with a wink.

As Thea left the room, Lyla glanced at Felicity and asked, "Does she know?"

Felicity giggled and said, "No. She thinks she's walking down the aisle with my Uncle Arnie."

"You don't have an Uncle Arnie," Donna said bewildered.

The women burst into laughter that echoed all through the halls of Queen Inc.

As Thea entered the guys’ prepping room, she stopped short. Talking quietly with Diggle, Barry and Oliver was Roy. Dressed in a tux.

"Roy!" Thea ran to him and threw her arms around his neck. Roy closed his eyes and wrapped his arms tightly around Thea. They held each other for a moment as Diggle and Oliver exchanged knowing looks. When Thea pulled away, she immediately asked, "How?"

Roy smiled and said, "Well… it helps that Oliver and Felicity didn't invite anyone who doesn't already know I'm alive."

"But how did they sneak you into the city?"

"Merlyn," Oliver answered a bit grimly. Thea gave him a look and Oliver shrugged a little. "It was Felicity's idea. She figured if there's anyone who knows how to get in and out of Starling City undetected it's Merlyn."

"And he did it?" Thea asked, amazed.

"Yeah, he did. Felicity can be pretty convincing when she wants to be," Oliver answered.

"And scary," Diggle added.

"Personally, I think he did it to score points with you," Roy said. "But I don't really care as long as I get to be here."

"Aren't you worried about it getting out? What about the staff -"

Oliver shushed her and said, "We took care of all that, Thea. Don't worry."

"All the members of security are ARGUS agents… courtesy of my lovely wife. As for the rest, Felicity has every single worker's social-security number and threatened to evaporate any penny they have if they breathe a word," Diggle explained.

"And that'll work?" Thea asked skeptically.

"I wouldn't screw with Felicity and Wi-Fi. Would you?" Diggle answered knowingly.

"No. Honestly, sounds a little bit like what Mom would do," Thea muttered. Off Oliver’s pointed look she said, "What? It's true."

Thea turned to Roy. "How long?" she whispered.

Roy looked at her sadly and said, "I leave right after the reception."

"Save me a dance okay?" Thea whispered as she kissed Roy on the cheek.

"Count on it."

Thea turned to her brother and admired his tux. "You clean up nice, bro."

Oliver laughed and hugged Thea as he said, "Thanks. How are you feeling today?"

Thea smiled and said, "Today is a good day."

Oliver kissed her forehead and whispered, "Good." Then he paused and put his hands on Thea's shoulders. He held her back a bit and said, "Wait a second… your [dress](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/382454193333565348/)..."

Thea twirled and said, "You like it? Felicity took it easy on us didn't she?"

"It's stunning, but… it's red!" Oliver exclaimed. "What happened to green?"

Thea laughed, "She was screwing with you, Oliver. It was always red. She said red is your color. Something about a pen."

"It's a strong choice. Red is far superior to green," Barry teased, winking at Oliver.

Diggle and Oliver exchanged a look. Wordlessly, Diggle gave the signal to Thea to twirl again. She laughed as she did. The dress was a deep ruby. The cap sleeves were adorned with an intricate floral embellishment. The silk & chiffon shifted and rolled around Thea like water cascading down rocks as she spun. When she stopped, she smiled softly at her brother and asked, "Are you ready?"

Oliver glanced at Diggle and took a deep breath as he said, "Yes." His voice confident and certain.

"I'll let the bride know. It's time get this party started," Thea said. She stepped towards Oliver and hugged him tightly. She whispered, "Wherever they are, Mom and Dad are proud."

Oliver hugged Thea tightly and said, "I'm just glad I still have you."

Thea kissed Oliver on the cheek and said, "Always."

The boys watched as Thea left the room, and Barry turned to Oliver, a glint in his eye.

"You want me to zip you up there?” Barry said as he snapped his fingers.

"Not necessary, Barry," Oliver answered dryly. He paused and looked at the men. "Before we head up, I just want to thank each of you. For getting me here on time..." Oliver glanced at Diggle knowingly, and he smiled. "And for being here on time..." he added as he glanced at Barry, who smiled proudly. "And for risking everything to be here," Oliver added to Roy. "The truth is… each of you has saved my life one way or the other... multiple times. The only reason I'm alive to marry this woman is because you had my back. You made sure I survived. So thank you. I'm lucky to call you my friends. My family."

Barry offered Oliver his hand. Oliver shook it as Barry said with a wink, "I guess you got the girl after all."

Oliver chuckled in response and said softly, "Yeah… I guess I did."

"I always knew you were full of crap," Barry teased lightly, before he turned and headed out of the office. Before Roy followed Barry out, Oliver called out to him.

"Say Roy… hang on a minute. I have something for you," Oliver said as he took an envelope out of his inner jacket pocket.

"What is it?" Roy asked as he opened it. As he read it his eyes grew wider and wider. Finally, when he was finished, he looked up at Oliver stunned. "Are you freaking serious? You're giving me a bar? In Coast City?"

Oliver smiled at Diggle and then answered softly, "Yes."

"Oliver… this is too much. I can't accept this," Roy argued.

"You sacrificed your life for mine, Roy. The least I can do is give you a fresh start in your new life. And to be honest, you're helping me too. I feel pretty guilty leaving Jake and the bar behind."

"Is he cool with this?" Roy asked skeptically.

"Of course. I discussed it with him beforehand. Told him you were a hard worker and a good man. He's onboard," Oliver explained.

Roy offered Oliver his hand. Oliver shook it as Roy said gratefully, "Thank you, Oliver."

"Thank you, Roy."

"See you up there," Roy smiled at Diggle as he left the office.

For a moment, neither Diggle nor Oliver said anything.

Gently prodding, Diggle said, ”Let's go get your girl, Oliver.”

Hesitantly, Oliver nervously asked, "Diggle… do you think I'll be a good husband?"

Diggle paused and considered carefully before he answered. "Yes, I think you'll be a very good husband, Oliver."

"How can you be so sure?" Oliver questioned.

"Because you're selfless, and you love Felicity more than anything in this world. That's a pretty good start. The rest you'll figure out as time goes on," Diggle advised wisely. He offered Oliver his hand. Oliver shook it as Diggle said, "And don't worry. I’ve got your back, boss."

Oliver pulled Diggle into a hug. Then the two men headed upstairs to the roof.

_*** Once In A Lifetime by Landon Austin_

The roof of Queen Inc. was transformed. A white fabric aisle lined with pillars led up to the [huppa](http://www.smashingtheglass.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/chuppah-synagogue.jpg), which stood in the center of the roof with a white canopy drifting over the top. Decorative hurricane lanterns stood next to each pillar casting a soft, warm glow inside. The pillars and top of the huppa were covered in varying shades of white and cream roses. The small amount of guests sat on chairs covered in white silk and listened as a string quartet played.

The rest of the roof was set up for the reception. [A large table covered in a champagne-colored tablecloth with a white lace overlay](http://www.arizonafoothillsmagazine.com/images/stories/june11/weddings/wedding-place-setting-1.jpg) was the focal point. White china sat delicately on gold and pearl charger plates. Gold-rimmed champagne glasses and champagne napkins wrapped in pearl napkin rings were the finishing touch. Stretching along the table were towering floral arrangements and hurricane lanterns, working in perfect cohesion with the huppa. Scattered throughout the roof were lounge areas. Comfortable couches and chairs accented with outdoor fireplaces. The heat from the glowing fires warmed the guests in the cool wind.

As the ceremony began, the rabbi came down the aisle. Then Barry and Roy entered. Following next was Diggle and then finally Oliver. Next, Caitlin and Lyla entered with little Sara between them, gripping their hands tightly. A collective "aww" went through the crowd at the sight of Sara. Her [flower girl dress](http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-thing?.out=jpg&size=l&tid=67933680) was adorned with appliqué red roses and white tulle poofing all around her.  Last, Thea entered carrying a full bouquet of white and cream roses.  

Just as the sun was setting, [Felicity entered](http://www.marieedusud.com/robe-de-marieacutee-rosa-sirene-en-dentelle-avec-des-bretelles.html). A hush fell over the guests as she glided down the aisle. Oliver's heart stopped as he gazed upon her. He almost couldn't breathe. Her [dress ](http://www.marieedusud.com/robe-de-marieacutee-rosa-sirene-en-dentelle-avec-des-bretelles.html)was covered in a delicate lace, and it hugged every curve of her body, casting a sexy but elegant silhouette. A crystal and pearl belt cinched at her waist, accentuating her figure. Her golden curls were swept loosely behind her as her veil spilled behind. In her hands, a bouquet of red roses of varying shapes and shades. In all his life, Oliver had never seen anything more beautiful and his eyes welled with tears.

Donna, [dressed in a skin tight gold dress](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/348536458632802625/), escorted Felicity down the aisle to Oliver. As she handed Felicity's hand to Oliver's, Donna kissed him softly on the cheek. Oliver led Felicity into the huppah, and she circled him as Oliver circled her. The rabbi offered greetings to Oliver,Felicity and their guests. After blessing the wine, Oliver and Felicity each took a sip. Then, Diggle handed Oliver two simpler silver bands. Felicity looked down at the rings in surprise. She suddenly realized they had never picked out wedding bands.  

As if reading her mind, Oliver whispered, "I made them."

Felicity looked up at him in wonder, her eyes filling with tears. As one slipped down her cheek, Oliver brushed it gently away.

Slipping the ring on her finger, Oliver vowed, "With this ring, you are made holy to me, for I love you as my soul. You are now my wife.”

Felicity took the other band and slipping it onto Oliver's hand she vowed," "With this ring, you are made holy to me, for I love you as my soul. You are now my husband."

Donna stepped forward and wrapped Oliver and Felicity’s shoulders in a tallis, binding them together. Then each member of the bridal party read a blessing. The seventh and final blessing was read by Walter. Then, Diggle placed a wine glass wrapped in white cloth at Oliver's feet. Oliver crushed it in one flourish step, and the entire roof erupted in "mazel tov!" and applause as Oliver gently kissed Felicity.

As they ran up the aisle, they made their way to the Yichud. Donna had walled off a separate section of the roof by draping white curtains to give Oliver and Felicity privacy in their first moments as husband and wife. Donna was careful not to cover the view of the Starling City skyline. The view was breathtaking. Starling City was sunlit in a fiery blaze, and for a moment, Oliver and Felicity simply took in the beauty of their city.

Felicity turned to Oliver and whispered, "Husband."

As Oliver bent to kiss Felicity he whispered, "Wife."

As they lost themselves in their embrace, the entire world faded away. There was nothing but their love and this moment.

_*** I Was Made For Loving You (feat. Ed Sheeran) by Tori Kelly_

As night fell, the guests arranged themselves at the banquet table. A murmuring of happy conversation rippled through, but everyone fell silent as Thea clinked her glass. Very slowly, and a bit nervously she stood and looked to Oliver and Felicity.

"When I was little, Ollie was always trying to make me laugh. It usually wasn't too difficult since I found everything he did hysterical. I think it was because Ollie had a light to him, a joy, that I just adored. When I think back to my childhood, that's what I remember most." Thea paused briefly and looked at Oliver thoughtfully as she continued, "I think sometimes life takes pieces of who we are. Or who we were. Sometimes, those pieces are gone forever, and we can never get them back. But sometimes, someone comes along and helps us find what we lost. And it's like experiencing a miracle. That's what I see when I look at my brother and Felicity. He's so happy. He lights up. And… he's the brother of my childhood again. The brother I remember."

Thea paused and looked at Felicity. With tears shining in her eyes, "I want to thank you, Felicity, for helping my brother find that piece of himself again… and for giving that piece of Oliver back to me. You were made to love my brother, and Ollie, you were made to love Felicity." Thea faltered as her voice broke. "I wish Mom and Dad could be here to see this day. Ollie, you are everything Mom hoped you be, and you are everything Dad asked you to become… and so much more. But mostly, I want to thank you, Ollie. For always being there for me. For helping me find the pieces of myself. And… for giving me the one thing I always wanted but never thought I'd have. A sister." Thea raised her glass and said, "To my brother. To my sister. To finding what was lost. Congratulations you guys… I love you both."

The guests raised their glasses and sipped their champagne. Overwhelmed, Oliver stood then Felicity stood too. They both hugged Thea tearfully. Next Diggle stood.

_*** Only Love by Mumford and Sons_

"Thea is going to be a tough act to follow. I probably should have gone first," Diggle deadpanned as laughter echoed around the table, "but I'll do my best." Diggle paused thoughtfully and then continued, "My job as Oliver's bodyguard meant I spent a lot of time watching him. A lot," Diggle said pointedly as Oliver chuckled along with the rest of the guests. "But it meant I was in the unique position of watching Oliver and Felicity's relationship develop from the very beginning. I watched as they went from strangers, to acquaintances, to friends and finally to partners. Oliver and Felicity bring out the best in one another. Besides not taking any of his crap," Diggle paused and winked at Oliver, "Felicity makes Oliver smile. She gives him peace. And Felicity is braver with Oliver. She takes risks with him… as evident by her behavior today."

The crowd erupted in laughter again, but as it died down Diggle grew serious.

"It has been an honor bearing witness to their love because, the truth is, Oliver and Felicity come alive around each other. We have a tendency to isolate ourselves in life… to live on islands of our own making. The only way to survive is to cling to those who make life bearable. I told Oliver once to find something to live for. And now I'd like to raise my glass, to my friend… my brother… because he chose well." Diggle paused and tilted his glass to Oliver and Felicity as he said, "You both did.”

_***Lives Entwined by Matthew Mayfield_

As Diggle completed his toast, Oliver and Felicity stood to hug him. As Felicity and Diggle sat down Oliver stayed standing. He shuffled nervously and looked down shyly before he began speaking.

“I want to thank everyone for coming, especially on such short notice. My wife and I appreciate it more than we can say. Every single person here is family. Either family we were born into or family Felicity and I created together. Each of you has had an impact on our lives. The only reason we are standing here is because of your love, your friendship, your sacrifice and your support.” Oliver paused and then looked down at Felicity. “And to my beautiful bride… for the rest of my life, I will wonder what I did to deserve you. And for the rest of our lives, I promise you I will never stop trying to deserve you. In his final words to me, my father asked me to make it home and I think, today, I finally have. I love you.”

The table rumbled with tinkling of forks clinking on glasses. Felicity stood with tears shining in her eyes.

She whispered, “I love you too.”

Oliver kissed her gently, but then dipped her low as he deepened the kiss. The guests erupted into joyous applause.

_***Shut Up and Dance by Walk the Moon_

After dinner the party was in full swing, everyone began to dance. As Felicity chatted happily with her mother, Detective Lance approached her.

"Congratulations, Felicity," Lance said earnestly.

"Thank you Detective- Captain. I'm glad you decided to come," Felicity replied sweetly.

Lance shrugged and said, "Yeah, well, Laurel can be pretty persistent when she wants to be."

"Yes I can," Laurel said as she linked arms with her father.

"The fact that the bride's last name wasn't Lance had to be a major selling point," Felicity mused, with a glint in her eyes.

Lance's mouth dropped open, and Laurel burst out laughing as she said, "Damn straight."

"Felicity!" Donna admonished in shock.

Lance's eyes flicked to Donna and said, "I'm sorry… we haven't met. I guess I didn't realize Felicity had a sister."

Felicity snorted, and Donna shot her look as she shook Lance's hand, "Actually I'm her mother."

"Captain Quentin Lance. It's a pleasure to meet you," Lance said as they shook hands.

"Captain?" Donna asked lightly.

"My father is a Captain in the Starling City Police Department,” Laurel explained.

Donna's eyes lit up as she smiled seductively and said, "Well… I love a man in uniform."

Laurel and Felicity raised their eyebrows at one another.  

"Would you care to dance?" Lance asked hopefully.

"Love to," Donna said as she shimmied out to the floor with Lance.

Laurel and Felicity watched in stunned silence.

"Did that just happen?" Laurel asked.

"I think it did. Did he really use the "sister" line?"

"Uh huh. Did she really fall for it?"

"Uh huh."

The girls paused and looked at one another before they downed their drinks in unison. Thea approached them and looked visibly thrown.

"You okay, Thea?" Laurel asked concerned.

Thea nodded and said, "I think so… Walter just asked me to introduce him to the -- and I quote -- ‘stunning blonde dancing with Captain Lance’.”

The three exchanged bewildered looks. Iris approached and gave Felicity a tight hug as she said, “Congratulations, Felicity. You look amazing.”

“Thank you, Iris,” Felicity answered.

“Listen, I hate to pester you, but my father will not get off my back about an introduction to your mother. Unfortunately, I’ve never met her. Help a girl out?

“Get in line,” Thea deadpanned.

“What?” Iris asked. Laurel pointed to the dance floor where both Walter and Joe were waiting impatiently for Lance and Donna to finish dancing.

Eyebrows raised, Iris turned slowly to look at the other girls. Then they all burst into laughter.

_***I'll Be Good by Jaymes Young_

A limo with tinted windows parked a few blocks away from Queen Inc. Malcolm Merlyn approached the door and entered it quickly. Damien Darhk smiled at Merlyn as he settled into his seat. Malcolm noted Damien's sling and pulled the bottle of Lazarus water slung around his neck. He offered it to Damien, but Damien refused, waving him away.

Surprised, Malcolm asked, "Damien Darhk healing the old fashioned way… now I have seen everything."

"There will come a day, Malcolm, when an endless life becomes less desirable than death." Damien paused and asked, "Did you get it?"

Merlyn glared at him and tossed the USB drive at him. Damien caught it in one hand. "Yeah, I got it."

"Did she suffer?"

Merlyn sighed and said, "She suffered enough."

"You made it quick, didn't you, Malcolm?" Damien mused. When Merlyn refused to look him in the eye, Damien said, "That wasn't what I requested."

"What you requested was that USB and her death… which I delivered."

"Are you forgetting our arrangement? Perhaps now that you are Ra's you believe you are above it. So let me remind you… when Oliver Queen left you dying on that rooftop, it was me and my remaining supply of Lazarus water that saved you. Among other things..."

Malcolm flashed with anger and said, "And in exchange I killed Ra's Al Ghul for you."

"You mean you had Oliver Queen kill Ra's Al Ghul… from which you benefited handsomely."

"The end result was the same. "

"And you think this makes you worthy to be Ra's? I assure you it does not," Damien said in disgust.

"What more do you want from me? I pledged my loyalty to you and your daughter. I protected her. I followed her every command."

"We both know you have ulterior motives for helping me," Damien replied.

"Can you blame me?" Merlyn sneered. "You delivered me from death only to torture me with a fate worse than it. You know what I desire from you."

"And someday I shall give it to you. But for now, I require your services, Malcolm. Your ascension to Ra's, while fortuitous, provides an interesting opportunity."

"To do what?"

Damien rolled the USB drive in his fingers and said, "To make the world a better place of course."

"You really think men like us can achieve such a thing?" Malcolm asked.

Damien looked almost amused by his self reflection, "Don't tell me you look at the world in such simplistic terms as good and evil, Merlyn. You know it is far more complicated than that. The world needs men like us to do what is necessary."

"If you raise a hand against Oliver Queen I will come for you," Merlyn threatened.

"Really? May I ask why?"

"Oliver is like a son to me," Malcolm explained.

Damien considered his words and hissed, "Like a son? Or is a son? Let me assure you, the difference is vast. Do not presume to threaten me Merlyn. You will do exactly as I say and when I say it. You are not Ra's Al Ghul. You are my dog, and I am your master. Never forget that."

Malcolm glared at Darhk and answered, "You hold yourself above the rest of us, Darhk, but the truth is you're just as power hungry as we all are." Merlyn paused before he exited the vehicle, "Isn't your daughter getting married today? Shouldn't you be walking her down the aisle?"

Damien fell silent and Merlyn clucked his tongue in mock sympathy, "Not invited I see. Ouch."

"Neither were you."

Ignoring him, Merlyn continued to needle away, "And yet you insisted on meeting this day of all days… in this city of all cities. It hurts doesn't it? To be on the outside looking in. There is a price to our sins, Damien. This is it."

"Again, so prosaic in your pontification about useless matters such as good and evil." Damien spat back.

As Merlyn existed the limo, he bent low over the door and said, "What I know this is… whatever good is… we're not it."

And slammed the door.

***Uptown Funk (feat. Bruno Mars) by Mark Ronson

As Felicity danced with Diggle, an ARGUS agent approached her.

"There's someone here to see you."

"Who? Everybody I speak with is here," Felicity giggled happily.

The agent elaborated, "He requested your presence downstairs, but we can get rid of him."

Diggle and Felicity exchanged knowing looks.

"No, don't. I'll take care of it."

Diggle signaled Oliver who was chatting with Roy and Thea. He immediately excused himself and joined them.

"What's up?"

"Somebody wants to see Felicity. Downstairs," Diggle said grimly.

Felicity took a deep breath and said, "Let's go."

_*** Lullabye by Billy Joel_

Diggle, Felicity and Oliver made their way to the lobby of Queen Inc. It was completely deserted.

“There's nobody here, Dig,” Oliver said concerned.

Felicity turned to the glass doors and immediately saw her father waiting on the street just outside Queen Inc.

“There,” Felicity said softly.

The trio made their way outside. Promptly, Oliver stepped in front of Felicity, and Diggle stepped in front of Oliver. Diggle pulled a gun on Damien.

“Packing at a wedding, Diggle? Seems a bit overkill,” Damien said.

“My brother taught me a bodyguard is never off duty.”

“Put the gun away, John. I'm more than covered, and you are outgunned,” Damien answered confidently.

“I warned you if you ever came near me or  - “ Felicity said, but Damien interrupted.

“I'm not here to shed any more blood, Felicity,” Damien explained softly.

“Then why are you here?” Felicity asked.

Damien shrugged a little helplessly and said, “To be honest, Felicity, I'm not sure. I just...” he paused as he gazed upon her. “You look beautiful.”

Felicity reached for Oliver's hand as she said, “Thank you.”

“Could we talk?”

“Just talk?” Felicity asked skeptically.

“Yes,” Damien said. “You have my word.”

Felicity let go of Oliver's hand and he looked at her with panic, “Felicity -”

“No guns. Tell your guys to back off or this doesn't happen.”

Damien nodded quietly to Cameron Kane standing nearby next to the limo. Cameron picked up his phone and gave the signal to Damien when his security had backed down. Felicity stepped towards him and Oliver grabbed her hand.

“No,” Oliver said.

“You're right here. So is Diggle. I'm safe. It's okay,” Felicity said softly, her reassuring tone lulling the worry deep inside Oliver.

Reluctantly he released her, and Felicity stepped out onto the street with her father. For a moment, neither said anything.

“So… what now?” Felicity asked.

Damien shrugged again and said, “Not quite sure. I thought about what you said.”

“Can you be more specific? We said a lot.”

“You said you only needed a father and… I thought maybe…”

“I told you it's too late for that.”

“I know. I know that. But it's an important day. I missed so many important days. I didn't want to miss this one,” Damien said regretfully. “I thought maybe, just for tonight, I could be Elijah again. Just for a minute. Would that be alright?”

“Okay,” Felicity said weakly, completely uncertain of what to do next.

Damien paused and took off his sling. He grimaced in pain a bit, but took a step toward Felicity. Oliver tensed, and Diggle reached for his gun. Felicity turned to the boys and shook her head. Diggle backed down. Damien took one last step and offered Felicity his hand. Very tentatively she took it and her father pulled her close. Then very slowly, he wrapped his arm around Felicity's waist and began to sway her back and forth. Tense at first, Felicity began to relax as her father moved her gently around the street. As Damien pressed his cheek against Felicity's head, he closed his eyes. The smell of lilacs from her shampoo wafted all around him, and he took a minute just to breathe her in. The street lamps were lit low as the city lights glimmered around them in the dark, as if day and night had found a compromise… a way to finally coexist. Damon lifted Felicity's hand and twirled her around, but as the circle ended, Felicity let go of her father's hand. His empty hand still outreached, Damien looked surprised.

Felicity looked at him sadly through her tears and said, “Goodbye Dad.”

Damien nodded sadly in acceptance and said, “Goodbye… my Felicity.”

Felicity stepped back to Oliver and Diggle, and they blocked her from Damien's view.

“Congratulations, Oliver. I suppose we're family now,” Damien said cryptically.

“Leave,” Oliver said firmly, dropping his voice an octave.

“Enjoy your time with her. It goes by so quickly. Believe me,” Damien said. His clear threat intermixing with his sadness.

Diggle stepped forward and looked Damien in the eye, “Time's up Darhk. Start running because I'm coming for you.”

_***This Woman's Work by Greg Laswell_

Damien glared at Diggle but stepped away and headed back to the limo. Diggle, Felicity and Oliver went back into the lobby where they were greeted by Donna.

“Felicity!” There you are. Security said you were down here. It's time to throw the bouquet,” Donna said. She fell silent when she saw the tear stains on her daughter's face, “Are you alright?”

“She's good. Oliver and I were just making her laugh,” Diggle explained quickly.

Felicity wiped her tears away and smiled at her mom, “Until I cried.”

Donna hugged Felicity as she laughed. Outside, in the limo, Damien watched as Felicity and Donna hugged.

“Sir… we need to go,” Cameron warned.

“Just one minute more, Kane… just one more,” Damien said sadly as he watched his wife and daughter chat happily. Damien smiled with pride and said, “They are beautiful aren't they? My girls...”

“Yes, sir. Very,” Cameron replied gently.

As Diggle, Felicity and Oliver walked to the elevator bay, Donna followed behind them. Suddenly she paused as if pulled the other direction. She went to the door and for a minute, looked out into the street. Her eyes fell upon the black tinted limo. Felicity came up behind her and grabbed her hand.

“What are you doing, Mom?” Felicity asked softly, casting a quick look in her father's direction.

Donna shook her head and murmured, “I'm not sure… I just thought… I saw something.”

“What?”

Donna stared at the limo, but it remained unmoved, as if empty. She shook her head at her foolishness.

“Nothing baby. I'm seeing things. I must be getting old," Donna said.

Felicity wrapped her arms around her mother and said, "You'll never get old."

Donna slung her arm around Felicity as they walked back to the elevator bay where Diggle and Oliver were waiting for them. "Have I told you lately you're my favorite daughter?"

As Felicity and Donna disappeared from Damien's view, Cameron looked at him and said, "It's time to go… Elijah."

Damien smiled sadly, "Thank you for that kindness, Cameron, but we both know… I'm not him. I'll never be him again."

Damien gave the signal to the driver.  The limo lights flared to life just as the elevator door, with Donna inside, closed.

_***Hard Time by Seinabo Sey_

As the elevator doors opened, Cisco and Barry were waiting for them. Donna smiled at the boys and turned to Felicity.

“I’ll go find your bouquet, okay, sweetheart?”

“Yes, thanks, Mom,” Felicity said.

They waited until Donna was headed up the stairs, and then Cisco turned anxiously to Felicity.

“Did it work?”

Felicity paused and glanced at Diggle and then Oliver. The three broke out into confident, knowing smiles.

“Yeah… it worked,” Felicity said.

“Yes!” Cisco shouted with both hands up in the air. He and Barry high fived.

“Now what?” Barry asked.

“Now… I throw my bouquet. You’re up Cisco,” Felicity said as she winked. Oliver gently led her away, and Barry looked at Cisco confused.

“What does she mean?”

Cisco pulled a small tracker out of his suit jacket. “I’m on Daddy detail.”

When Barry gave Cisco a skeptical look, Cisco rolled his eyes. “Beats the guest book.”

As Damien Darhk drove through Starling City, Felicity tossed the bouquet to Laurel, Donna, Thea and Iris. Donna caught it and squealed with delight. Darhk pulled up at Cameron Kane’s offices with Kane in tow. They entered the elevator bay and clicked down. The elevator ride was long, until they were deep underground… the real H.I.V.E. headquarters. Damien made his way down a long corridor into a large computer bay, where the servers were lined up neatly. He sat down at the computer.

An alarm went off on Cisco’s tracker. He signaled Oliver who whispered in Felicity’s ear. Felicity waved Diggle and Lyla over and the five made their way back into Queen Inc.  Meanwhile, Cisco walked quickly over to Barry, Iris, Caitlin, Ronnie, Thea, Roy, Laurel and Ray who were lounging by one of the fireplaces.

“We’re on!” Cisco whispered excitedly to the group.

“Now?” Laurel asked.

“I guess H.I.V.E. headquarters is nearby because that microchip Felicity developed is signaling. He’s logging into the network to load The Box. Let’s go watch!” Cisco paused and glanced over at Ray Palmer. He looked him up and down suspiciously and asked, “Are you suppose to be tiny?

”Ray shrugged, “I got it under control… today.”

“Cisco, don’t you think that would be a little conspicuous if nearly all the wedding guests disappeared?” Barry advised.

“Dude… this is like Star Wars meets WarGames. I’m not missing this,” Cisco replied emphatically.

The entire group gave Cisco a bewildered look.

“Would you people watch a movie occasionally?” Cisco said irritated.

Laurel brightened, “Oh! WarGames… the one with Matthew Broderick?”

Everyone turned slowly to look at Laurel, completely shocked. She shrugged sheepishly and said, “What? I like movies.”

“Please, marry me. Please,” Cisco begged adoringly.

“Still, it would be better not to tip people off. We should stay put,” Caitlin said.

A beat. Then the entire group stood up in unison and dashed towards the door.

_***Returning Fire with Fire by Mindy Smith_

Felicity sat down at her computer and started typing furiously as Diggle, Oliver and Lyla watched. The rest of the group came in excitedly.

“Has it started? Are we too late?” Cisco asked anxiously.

“He just logged in,” Felicity said.

“WAIT!” Thea shouted at the top of her lungs. Every froze and looked at her. She ran over to Felicity’s chair and fluffed her dress, ensuring it laid perfectly. She stood up and everyone was still staring at her. She shrugged, “What? It’s still her wedding day. We’re not savages.” 

Diggle looked up and down at Ray and asked, “Hey… are you suppose to be tiny?”

“Can a man have size issues without comment?” Ray huffed. Everyone slowly turned to look at him. “Sorry that came out really wrong.”

Diggle leaned over to Oliver and whispered, “Dude, you’re right. They are virtually the same person.”

“I know,” Oliver muttered.

“How did you know Damien was going to show up?” Laurel asked.

Felicity looked over at Oliver and said, “Damien wouldn’t, but Elijah would. We needed the wedding for bait though.”

“How did you slip the microchip on him?” Palmer asked.

“While they were dancing,” Oliver explained softly as he put a gentle and reassuring arm on Felicity’s shoulder.

“So let me get this straight… you designed an undetectable microchip that is going to load what I can only imagine is a virus onto H.I.V.E.’s network while you ran a multibillion-dollar corporation and planned a wedding?” Ray asked.

Felicity shrugged, “Yes.”

Impressed, Ray said, “That’s…”

In unison Barry and Cisco said, “Hot.”

Oliver turned and glared at all both men. Barry cleared his throat embarrassed and refused to meet Oliver’s fierce gaze.

“Platonic hot. Completely platonic hot. So it’s more lukewarm… Mr. Queen,” Cisco babbled nervously.

“I’m in!” Felicity exclaimed, but she didn’t start typing. Ray looked at Felicity warily.

“Normally this is when you start typing, Felicity.”

“Not this time. The virus will infiltrate the servers on its own. I just have to wait for my father to realize it.”

“Why?”

“Because the more he tries to stop it, the more it will spread,” Felicity said confidently.

“Ingenious design,” Ray said approvingly.

“Thanks, but I had help. I used Andrew Diggle’s code as the base to build off,” Felicity looked up at Diggle. “He had the right idea. A trojan horse. He just needed the right target.”

Lyla squeezed Diggle’s hand as his face filled with pride.

Damien slipped the USB drive into a computer, and Kane stood nearby. As The Box began to load, Damien immediately noticed something was wrong. He began to type rapidly.

“It’s a virus,” Kane said.

“I can see that, Cameron. I need to stop it before it reaches the servers. How the hell did this get in here?” Damien asked angrily as he typed.

“I don’t know. We just swiped the network today. It was clean.”

Felicity smiled as she began to type, “There. It’s in the server. I’m downloading everything off H.I.V.E.'s network now. Then I’ll type in the final code.”

“To do what?” Caitlin asked.

“To destroy the network. We’ll have every H.I.V.E. operative’s name and location, but without the network, they’ll be blind.”

“Then we go hunting,” Diggle said and nodded at Oliver.

Damien stopped typing. Cameron looked at him anxiously. “What are you doing sir?”

“It’s too late, Kane. I can’t stop the virus. In fact… by trying to stop it I simply aided the infiltration into the network. It’s done. The network is gone.”

Damien pushed away from the desk and stared at the computer, his anger seething. He picked up the chair and threw it across the room, tearing his jacket at the same time. He slipped it off and something caught his eye: a small, tiny piece of clear plastic, stuck to his shoulder. It was nearly undetectable by the human eye. If the jacket had not torn so close to it, he probably would have never noticed it.

“That’s how she did it,” Damien said quietly.

“She?” Kane asked perplexed.

“Felicity… she… planted a chip on me… one that was designed to load a virus into the server the minute I tried to upload The Box.”

“Wait - is The Box…”

“It’s all gone, Kane. She has everything.”

Damien paused and set his hands on the desk, hanging his head. Then in a rush of anger, he picked up the computer and threw it across the room.

Felicity loaded two USB drives with information, and she handed both to Lyla.

“The blue drive is everything ARGUS will need to open an investigation into H.I.V.E. It should be enough to prosecute my father when we finally catch him.”

“ARGUS agents are on their way to Kane’s company.” Diggle explained.

“And the second?” Lyla asked.

“It’s The Box. You can decide what you want to do with it, Lyla. I trust you,” Felicity said.

Lyla paused and stared down at the USB drive, “This is an extraordinarily powerful weapon, Felicity.”

“I know.”

After a moment of thought, Lyla looked up at Diggle and said, “I think I know the best thing to do with it. Everybody follow me.”

_***Renegades by X Ambassadors_

As they reached the roof, Lyla walked over to one of the lounge areas. She took out the drive and tossed it into the fire. Felicity looked over at her surprised.

“Even if I am running it, no government agency should have something so powerful,” Lyla said firmly.

“Which is why you’re the best person to run ARGUS,” Diggle said as he kissed Lyla on the cheek.

“Let’s us know if you need any help tracking down these guys,” Barry offered.

“Count on it,” Oliver said as he shook Barry’s hand.

The two teams smiled at one another, confident in their trust and partnership; knowing they would be there for each other… no matter what. They all stared out on the lights of Starling City, quietly enjoying the satisfaction of knowing it was a little safer.

_***Control by Halsey_

Roy kept his word. He left immediately after the reception, but not without giving Thea a kiss goodbye. As Thea entered her loft, she touched her fingers to her lips; trying to feel the memory of Roy’s kiss. As she pulled her fingers away, tears were the only remnants there.

“It’ll be alright sweetheart,” said a familiar voice.

Thea froze. Very slowly, she turned. A figure came out of the shadow in the corner. It was Moira, still dressed in the business suit she died in. A bloody stain from Slade’s sword still on her white blouse.

“You’re not real,” Thea said tearfully.

“Of course I am,” Moira answered softly.

“No… no. You were gone. I made you go away. Oliver helped me,” Thea cried out in a panic. She took several steps away from her mother.

“Oliver never knew I was here and, even if he did, he can’t help you, sweetheart. Only I can. You just have to listen. You were listening so well,” Moira explained as she followed Thea.

Thea went into the bathroom and splashed water on her face. She shut her eyes and pounded her fists against her head. “You’re not real. You’re not real. You’re not real.”

She felt her mother’s arms wrap around her waist.

“Shhhhh. Shhhh. It’s alright Thea. You’ll feel so much better.”

Thea faced her reflection. Her face was dripping water, and her black mascara was running down her face. Moira was in the reflection, but only the reflection. There was nobody in the bathroom with her.

“Are you a hallucination? A demon? What?” Thea asked desperately.

Moira didn’t answer. Instead she said, “Go ahead.”

“No… I stopped.”

“Thea… the reflection isn’t right. You and I both know it. Fix it sweetie. You’ll feel so much better.”

Thea stared at her reflection for a second, but then in a fit of rage, she slammed her fist into it. The mirror cracked into hundreds of pieces, leaving a fractured image of Thea and Moira behind.

“There… that’s so much better, isn’t it?” Moira said eerily.

Thea sighed and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. When she opened her eyes, they were filled with a blank, almost lifeless stare.

“Yes,” Thea said flatly.

She made her way around the apartment and shattered every mirror with her fist until her reflection was in pieces and her hand was dripping with blood.

“Good. Now we can begin. Are you ready?” Moira asked.

Thea faced her mother, the blood dripping onto the ground, but she didn’t register pain. Instead, the crazed look was back, and she smiled at her mother, “Yes.”

_***You Are Love by Taylor Swift_

After walking the last guest out, Oliver headed back up to the roof where he found Felicity staring out at the city. He watched her for moment, taking in her beauty, as the lights of the city shimmered in front of her. Wisps of her hair blew in the wind, and her wedding dress, gathered elegantly behind her, flapped softly in the breeze. Oliver approached her slowly and wrapped his arms around her.

“Hey,” Felicity whispered at the feel of his touch.

“Hey,” Oliver said as he kissed her neck.

“Everybody go home?” Felicity asked. Oliver nodded silently. Then he turned Felicity to him as he wrapped his arms around her waist. Felicity wrapped her arms around Oliver’s neck.

“So… we’ve officially been married for six hours. How’s it going for you?” Oliver asked playfully.

“Pretty good. How about you?” Felicity answered, playing along.

“Good. This marriage thing is easy.”

“It really is. I think we’ve got it handled.”

“Six hours down. Another…55 years and 18 hours to go,” Oliver said, chuckling as Felicity swatted him.

“Oh so now you believe Dr. Wells?”

Oliver shrugged a little, “Not really.”

“87 years sounds better,” Felicity teased lightly.

Oliver nodded, “It does. How about a compromise?”

Felicity smiled at him adoringly, “You really do have this marriage thing down.”

“How does forever sound to you, Mrs. Queen?”

Felicity kissed Oliver gently as she whispered, “Sounds perfect.”

Oliver led her out to the center of the roof, and Felicity laughed. “What are you doing?”

“I want to dance with my wife.”

“You don’t dance, Oliver.”

“That’s true, but I think we can make an exception,” Oliver answered.

He took her hand and placed the other on her waist. Felicity placed her other hand on his shoulder. As they began to sway, she leaned against him. The heat of his hand warmed her own. The strength of his arms as he confidently held her gave her an overwhelming sense of safety. Felicity didn’t need to think where she was going. Oliver simply glided her across the roof as the lights of Starling, their city, sparkled all around them.

“You’re pretty good, Mr. Queen,” Felicity said softly.

Oliver gently whispered in her ear, “I said I don’t dance. I never said I couldn’t.”

He released her suddenly and began to twirl her around. Felicity laughed as Oliver spun her, his hand holding firmly to hers. When she felt dizzy, Oliver pulled her close and steadied her. Never once did he let go of her hand, and as Oliver bent to kiss her, Felicity knew he never would. As she kissed her husband back, Felicity knew this was the life for which she was destined. The life that was once only a dream was now a reality. It stretched out before them, an endless night of possibility. There was no ending. Only a beginning. For one perfect moment, Oliver and Felicity were infinite.

_***Chimes at Midnight by In The Groove_

Damien Darhk sat in near pitch black as his limo drove him to the nearest airport. He picked up the phone and dialed. The person on the other end answered immediately.

“I have a job for you… one for which you are uniquely qualified. I want you to kill Oliver Queen.”

A familiar voice on the other end said, “Shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Good. See that it’s done,” Damien hung up. He stepped out of the limo and onto a private jet for parts unknown.

Back on the streets of Starling City, a figure in the shadows hung up the phone. As he lit up a cigarette, his face was illuminated by the glow of the lighter.

Tommy.

He took a long drag of his cigarette before he tossed it casually to the ground. A street lamp shined on the H.I.V.E. emblem tattooed on his hand, as Tommy lifted a black hoodie over his head. He glanced upward to the building over which he was keeping careful watch.

It was not Queen Inc., or even Oliver and Felicity’s loft, but rather Laurel’s apartment. As Laurel passed in front of the window, ready for bed, she shut off the light. Tommy walked away as darkness engulfed the apartment, disappearing into the shadow of the night.

The End 

Read the conclusion to _Once and Forever Queen_ next: _[Broken Pieces](http://archiveofourown.org/works/8872750/chapters/20342569)_

 

Again special thanks to my wedding selection committee. Your picks were all beautiful. @callistawolf, @fanmommer, @olicity-i-believe-in-you, @kalichica12, @oliverqlovesfelicity, @palindromepoet, @louiseblue1

CONTEST WINNERS:

1.  What opening song should I use? Oliver is running on the beach.

WINNER: I Bet My Life by Imagine Dragons

2.  Where do you want Oliver to propose?

WINNER: Starling City docks

3.  Vote for Felicity's Engagement Ring

WINNER: Selected by Calli @callistawolf

 

4.  Vote for Felicity's Wedding Dress

WINNER: Selected by Em @olicity-i-believe-in-you

 

5.  Vote For The Bridal Party

WINNER: Diggle/Roy/Barry and Thea/Caitlin/Lyla

6.  Vote for the Bridesmaid Dress COLOR

WINNER: Red

7.  Vote for the Olicity Bridesmaid Dress

WINNER: Selected by Jen @jbuffyangel

 

8\. Donna’s Mother of the Bride Dress: Donna’s dress was chosen by a friend of mine and member of the Olicity fandom who was celebrating her 28th Wedding anniversary.  [@TriciaTesH](https://twitter.com/TriciaTesH)

WINNER: Selected by Cheryl @oliverqlovesfelicity

 

Other selections I made: 

Sara’s flower girl dress:

 

Huppa:

 

 

 

Table setting:

 

Thanks for participating in the voting!!!!! 


End file.
